A BUMPER crowd turned out to honour popular Basingstoke Bison defenceman Kurt Reynolds at his testimonial game last Saturday.

It was the last time the Herd’s treble winners took to the ice along with many former Bison players.

It proved to be a great evening and one that Reynolds would like to thank everyone for coming and all those helped out.

Reynolds said: "Yes Saturday was very overwhelming and extremely emotional, I can’t believe the turnout, it was just as busy or if not busier than some normal game nights, I had such a great night.

"I’m very grateful for everyone’s support and just want to thank everybody who attended from the players to the fans and a special thanks to the individuals that helped me organise the event, Sharon and Nick Dudley, Sharon and Hannah Driver, Rebecca Beadle, Daren Bavister, Grant King, Louise Pengelly Piper, Stefan Hogarth, Flynn Sitch- Cunningham and anyone I’ve forgot please forgive me."

The previous night, it was the annual Bison awards nights.

The coveted Players’ Player award was shared between top defenceman Daniel Scott and leading goalscorer and captain Aaron Connolly The Supporters’ Player of the Year went to import forward Roman Malinik.

The Supporters British Player of the Year went to Ryan Sutton, who had a debut season for the Herd Doug Sheppard’s Coaches Player of the Year went to Dan Davies The Alan Parrot Contribution Award went to the Basingstoke Bison’s team photographer Grant King.

Head coach Doug Sheppard said: “It was very difficult this year as winning the treble was a team effort and everyone made a contribution.”

Former Bison defenceman Zach Sullivan will make his Great Britain World Championship debut on Sunday in Budapest. GB will face hosts Hungary, as well as Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland and Slovenia, from April 22 to 28.

Three other former Herdmen Ben O’Connor, Ben Davies and Jonathan Phillips are in the squad.

Former Bison netminder Stevie Lyle has been inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. He played for the Herd in the Elite League in 2007/08 and then in the EPL for the campaign of 2012/13.