DEAN Skinns recorded his first shut-out of the season, as the Basingstoke Bison moved to the top of the English Premier League, with a 3-0 win at Peterborough Phantoms.

The Basingstoke-born shot stopper turned away all 39 shots he faced, as he recorded his sixth shut-out for the club, which puts him one behind Curtis Cruickshank club record seven.

The victory at Peterborough maintained the Herd’s 100 per cent record and the penalty count was a lot lower than the week before, when five players were dismissed.

The Bison took the lead in the third minute, as the Herd powerplay unit continued its fine form from the night before as Aaron Connolly scored.

The advantage was then doubled as Ciaran Long netted through the legs of the Phantoms’ import goalie Janis Auzins for a 2-0 lead at the first buzzer.

With Peterborough’s Latvian goalie being out shone by his British counterpart.

Skinns denied Milan Baranyk and former Bison forward Marc Levers.

The second session saw the Phantoms backed by a massive crowd try and find a way past the superb Skinns, as they decided not to fight the Herd this time around.

Peterborough reshuffled their lines for the final period and in the final minutes pulled their goalie.

However, the move back fired as Joe Greener hit the empty net from the Bison’s end zone to complete the 3-0 scoreline.

Scoring; Bison: Connolly, Long, Greener 1+0, Chinn, Sheppard, Rand 0+1. Shots on Goal: Auzins 21 James 0 Empty net 1, Skinns 39. Penalties: Phantoms 16min, Bison 46.