GRANT Rounding scored his first goal of the season for the Basingstoke Bison, but it was all in vain as the league champions lost 3-2 at the Milton Keynes Lightning.

The Herd reshuffled their import line-up for the game with Joe Rand coming in for Tomas Karpov.

The home side took the lead on their first powerplay of the night, as Jordan Cownie scored at 2:12.

The feisty encounter then boiled over as Declan Balmer and MK penalty king Grant McPherson fought, then soon after Ryan Watt was sent to the sin bin for 12 minutes for an incident with Cownie.

The Bison then levelled things as Joe Greener scored assisted by Rene Jarolin and Aaron Connolly.

The second period saw the penalty count swell even more as MK’s import defenceman Martti Jarventie was dismissed on a match penalty for charging, which saw Connolly take no further part in the contest and he will also be out for the rest of the season.

During the five minute powerplay, the home side were awarded a penalty shot by referee Tim Pickett, after Cownie was hauled down on a breakaway.

The same player took the penalty shot, but the Bison’s man of the match Tomas Hiadlovsky poked the puck away to safety.

At the second buzzer the score remained 1-1, but tempers flared again after the break and when the dust had settled Bison’s Alan Lack was dismissed for slashing, while Greener, Jamieson, Long, McPherson and Watt all picked up roughing penalties.

The Bison killed off all the penalties, but MK then took the lead from man of the match Glenn Billing at 47:36.

The home side increased their lead to two after a nice break out from Cownie saw him feed Lewis Hook to score.

The Herd pulled a goal back as Rounding, who has missed most of the season due to injury, scored from Joe Baird and Stuart Mogg.

The visitors then pushed for an equaliser, but were unable to find it.

Tonight (5.30pm), the Bison wrap up their league campaign with a visit from the Guildford Flames.

The evening will also see the Herd presented with their league championship trophy.