THE Basingstoke Buffalo extended their unbeaten run to eight games as they drew 6-6 with the visiting Swindon Wildcats.

The South Two West league leaders dominated the opening 20 minutes, with some slick passing moves and only Liam McGuire stopped them from having a big lead at the first buzzer.

After Ryan Sutton had forced the first save of the night, the home side opened the scoring at 5:59.

Ashley Skinns sent the puck around the boards to Mark Pitts who put a nice pass into the slot for Greg Martyn to score.

The home side looked to double their advantage, with Neil Leary, Sutton and Roberto Tambellini all denied by McGuire.

The Buffalo continued to press, with Paul Petts going close and Daniel Lackey having a shot kicked away.

The first penalty of the game saw Swindon score shorthanded from their man-of-the-match Loris Taylor.

The visitors then took the lead after two of their senior Swindon Wildcats players combined, Billing crossing for defenceman Ben Nethersell to score at the back post.

The Buffalo levelled on the powerplay as Dave Collins shot from the blue line came off the pads of McGuire.

The Swindon goalie then saved the rebound from Pitts, but man-of-the-match Matt Lawday made no mistake at the third time of asking.

The home side took the lead at 25:19 after Louis Taylor’s pass around the boards found Wilson and he in turn fed Lawday to score.

This time it was the visitors who equalised as Loris Taylor scored.

Another Buffalo powerplay saw them take the lead again as Franco Tambellini and Pitts set up Wilson, who scored with a beautiful strike.

The home side extended their advantage to 5-3 as Lawday completed his hat-trick.

The sides then traded goals in the final minute of the session, as Billing scored and Neil Leary replied, burying Martyn’s rebound.

The Buffalo started the final period looking for a seventh goal and Pitts, Lawday and Roberto Tambellini were all denied.

Swindon tied the game with two goals in as many minutes from Billing and Taylor.

Both sides went looking for the winner, with Lawday going closest for the home side, while the Wildcats’ Billing was denied twice in the last minute.

The team’s next league game is on Sunday (6.30pm), when they face the Cardiff Devils.

Two Buffalo players, Jordan Lawday and Hallam Wilson, have been selected to play for England under-17s.

Both players are stalwarts of the Junior Bison set-up, having represented the club from under-10 to under-18.

Forward Wilson is currently the under-18s leading goal scorer this season, while Lawday, who is sponsored by Fibre Technologies Limited, has a 91 per cent save rate for the team.

England will travel to Holland at the end of May for a tournament.

The pair have also been picked to play for the South West Conferen-ce side.

In the under-13 age-group, four Bison players have been called up to the South West Conference squad.

Emily Harris and Travis Penny are both forwards, while Oliver Bower plays defence and Sam Childs is a netminder.

They will play in the inter-conference tournament in Sheffield at the beginning of May and before that, they tour Holland next month.