AARON Connolly scored the most important of the season so far for the Basingstoke Bison, as it ensured the Herd tied the league series with new leaders the Peterborough Phantoms.

With three minutes to go the Phantoms led on home ice 3-1, and a two goal victory would have won them the league series and left them just needing to beat Streatham on Saturday to take the title.

However, the Bison captain made sure his side would still had a chance of taking the league crown, as he finished a move involving Ryan Sutton and Josh Smith to score at 58:05.

So the league title race now goes to the final weekend and will be decided on goal difference, as long as the Bison win both their games against Invicta at home on Saturday night and then away to Cardiff on Sunday.

Earlier in the contest, the Bison started well forcing Euan King into a couple of saves in the opening minute.

Peterborough then scored the only goal of the first period from Glenn Billing at 9:52 on their second powerplay of the night.

The home side then doubled their advantage at 21:32 as man of the match Nathan Salem scored.

After this the Phantoms ran into penalty trouble and the Herd made the most of it, as Ivan Antonov scored on the powerplay assisted by Connolly and man of the match Dan Scott.

Early on in the third period, Salem went close to adding a third, which eventually they scored at 50:22 from Billing on the powerplay.

Four minutes later, the Phantoms were given another man advantage, but this time the Bison killed off the penalty.

As the clocked ticked down the Herd grabbed the important second goal to take the title race into the final weekend of the season.

The Bison are next in action on Friday night, then they face the Swindon Wildcats in the first leg of their Autumn Cup final, before they play their final two league games of the season.