THE Basingstoke Buffalo have one foot in the end of season promotion play-offs after they enjoyed double success over the Wightlink Tigers.

The Buffalo won the first game on home ice 9-2 and then followed this up with a 4-1 win on the island.

Daniel Lackey was their hat-trick hero in the first game in Basing-stoke, but it was defenceman Sam Dollin who opened the scoring with a powerplay strike.

This was assisted by captain Neil Leary, his first of five helpers on the night.

Greg Martyn doubled the advantage as he finished a move that involved Dave Collins and Ashley Skinns, before man-of-the-match Lackey opened his account to complete a 3-0 first period.

Wightlink’s Ricky Attrill scored the first goal of the second session, but Lackey netted again from Mark Pitts and Leary restored the three-goal lead a minute later.

Matt Lawday then added a fifth for the home side before the second buzzer.

Once again, the visitors opened the scoring after the break, but four unanswered goals from the Buffalo followed, the first being Lackey’s hat-trick strike.

Roberto Tambellini was next on the scoresheet and then Pitts found the back of the net.

Tambellini wrapped up the scoring on the night with the Buffalo’s ninth, assisted by Ryan Sutton and brother Francesco Tambellini.

The following night on the Isle of Wight, Lackey opened the scoring from Hallam Wilson and Lawday at 9:08.

The visitors added two more goals in the second session as Lawday scored, assisted by Pitts, and then Pitts himself finished a nice move that involved Franceso Tambellini and Sutton.

The Buffalo extended their lead to 4-0 at 49:59 from Roberto Tambellini after Pitts and Dollin combined.

The home side then scored with less than three minutes to go as man-of-the-match Jordan Lawday was beaten just once from 55 shots.

The previous week, the Buffalo won 4-3 at the Swindon Wildcats thanks to a 4-1 second session.

Matt Lawday scored the first two goals of the contest, assisted by Martyn and Wilson.

Wilson then added goal number three, before Swindon opened their account.

The visitors made it 4-1 as Sutton scored, assisted by Skinns and Lackey, at 38:50.

The home side scored twice in the final session to set up a tense finish.

The Buffalo are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to face title rivals the Bristol Pitbulls for a game to be played in Oxford.