Bracknell Bees 3-4 Basingstoke

Steve Moria grabbed the game-winning goal for Basingstoke

Basingstoke Bison fought back to clinch victory in an entertaining game at local rivals Bracknell Bees on Sunday.

Jaroslav Cesky scored twice as the Bees went 3-0 up in the first period, but was then given a match penalty in the second period which changed the game.

By that time Bees player-coach Claude Dumas had wasted a glorious chance before Joe Ciccarello pulled one back.

Further goals from Ondrej Lauko and Ollie Bronnimann pulled the Bison level before Steve Moria nicked the winner.

Cesky was thrown out of the game for high-sticking, having accidentally drawn blood from Basingstoke import Ciccarello - an automatic match penalty in the sport.

The penalty means Czech star Cesky, who has been a key player for Bracknell in the season's opening games, will also miss Saturday's return fixture at Basingstoke, while Ciccarello did not return to the ice following the incident.

It was Ciccarello whose goal turned the game, moments after Dumas missed a short-handed one-on-one opportunity to put his Bees side four goals clear.

With a minute remaining in the first period, Dumas found himself alone against Tom Annetts, but the Bison goaltender pulled off the save to keep Basingstoke in the game.

Bison moved the puck to the other end of the rink and, within seconds, Ciccarello had found the net.

For much of the second and third periods, following Cesky's penalty, Bracknell found their backs to the wall, goaltender Carl Ambler pulling off a succession of bold saves to keep the Bees' lead intact.

But the pressure eventually told, Lauko earning the Bison a second before Bronnimann equalised in the third period.

As overtime loomed, Canadian veteran Moria positioned himself to perfection, tidying up a loose puck as scrambling Ambler failed to make his ground for the game-winning goal.