BASINGSTOKE,U.K-No one said it was going to be easy, but trying to find players to plug the gaps of the Basingstoke Bison roster is proving to be a hard task at the moment.

Even with a secure new management team in place, the history of the past two owners is putting players off heading to the south of England to experience one of best hockey night atmospheres in the country

Despite the Herd reducing in numbers weekly, the team refuse to just graze quietly, but instead stampeded to one of the biggest shock results of the season as they turned over the reigning champions Coventry Blaze 4-1 in their own barn no less.

Prince Edward native Danny Stewart helped himself to the club's first hat-trick of the season, while at the other end of the rink. Bison cageman Kevin Reiter proved to be in inspired form as he made 65 saves on the night to steal his side the two points from the Skydome. That performance won him the Elite League player of the week award.

The previous night the top IHL goalie of last year was again in the thick of the action when Bison's game with Edinburgh Capitals went to penalty shots after being tied 5-5. The Pittsburgh-born netminder saved all three shots, while Brent Hughes despatched the winner with a classic back hand finish.

Thompson at former club Bracknell Bees (Photo by Paul Young)

The weekend, also saw British forward Shaun Thompson move back to play in defence as the team had only three recognised blue liners.

"The last time I played on D was back in my junior days and it certainly opened my eyes and I have a lot more respect for the defenceman now having played back there," Thompson said.

Thompson was paired with Bison player-coach and the rock of the defence Eric Braff who felt his new recruit to the blue line had produced a great weekend.

"I kept talking to him all the time, he kept things simple is a solid positional player and sometimes I had to take a double take and what he did back there, but the end he is was playing like a veteran," Braff said.

With Thompson's ambition to make the senior Great Britain team for the World Championships in April, converting to defence maybe his best route as the national team are not over loaded in that department.

This coming weekend (Nov 22), the Bison have a crunch Challenge Cup with the visiting Nottingham Panthers where victory for the home side, would knock the visiting holders out of the competition.

Contact the author at Graham.merry@prohockeynews.com