Herd aim to make it a magic seven (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Herd aim to make it a magic seven

8:00am Saturday 28th January 2012 in Ice Hockey By Graham Merry

THE BASINGSTOKE Bison will face their stiffest test yet as they look to stretch their recent superb away winning streak to seven games.

The Herd made it six wins on the trot on the road last Saturday with a victory in Swindon, setting a new club record for the English Premier League.

However, the last time the Bison were beaten away from the Basingstoke Arena it was in Milton Keynes last November and that is where they head later today for a game that has a 7pm face-off.

So far this season, the Lightning have had the Herd’s number, clocking up four straight wins including last Sunday’s 2-0 success in Basingstoke.

That was the last game in MK colours for import Juraj Grasik, as this week he has was replaced by Finnish forward Tuomas Tikkanen.

The left winger will make his debut against the Bison and has played most of his hockey in his homeland, while this season he has been playing in France for Mont Blanc.

Looking ahead to the clash Basingstoke player/coach Steve Moria said: “I felt we out played Milton Keynes last weekend and we really want to stop their streak over us.

“I expect them to come out with a hard forecheck from the start. “ On Sunday night, the Bison return to home ice to face local rivals Slough Jets in a game which has a 5.30pm start.

The last time these side met in Basingstoke, they served up a goal feast which saw the visitors win 7-6, while in the next game in Slough the Herd won 7-3. So they will once again be hoping to get a fist full of goals and end a baron spell in front of goal in their home barn.

Moria said: “We have not played Slough for a while and, like us, they seem to be inconsistent. We have to play Slough four times and Sheffield three times and while every game is important, these are our big games.”