LEEDS KNIGHTS slipped to a 3-2 overtime defeat to NIHL National rivals Basingstoke BIson - picking up a valuable point in their regular season title defence.
Sunday marked the first visit to The Castle for Basingstoke since the 2023 play-off quarter-final between the two teams when the Knights triumphed 11-2 on their way to completing an aggregate 15-4 win the following night in Hampshire and, ultimately, a league and play-off double.
Basingstoke have been dormant for two seasons since, while much-needed repairs were carried out to its rink, but have returned for the 2025-26 campaign determined to make their mark.
And it proved a competitive contest from the off at The Castle, the Knights signalling their intent against the visitors early when they took the lead after less than three minutes.
Good work by Innes Gallacher and Fin Bradon down the right saw the puck fed to Ollie Endicott in front from where he made no mistake from with just 2.25 on the clock.
The Knights carried that lead into the first break but it wasn’t long into the second before the Bison were level, Tyton Cathcart seeing his first effort towards the net blocked by Endicott before his second effort squirmed through traffic and bounced past Sam Gospel into the net at 20.28.
Having been outshot 17-9 in the first it was the visitors who enjoyed the better of the second, with Gospel called upon to make several smart saves.
But it wasn’t until the closing minutes of the game that the goalline was breached again, the Knights benefitting hugely from a fortuitous bounce off the boards behind the Bison net which saw the puck cannon off at an unexpected angle, leaving Max Wright stranded and allowing Endicott to guide the puck into the empty net with just over four minutes remaining.
It was harsh on the Bison but when handed a late power play opportunity they made it count, a slick move involving Zak Shankar and Luke Spadafora setting up Zack Milton right in front to fire home and make it 2-2 with just 46 seconds remaining.
Chances came and went in overtime but the extra point went the way of the visitors - giving them a four-point weekend following the previous night’s 3-2 home win over Bristol.
Liam Morris found William Stead in the neutral zone on the right-hand side, the pair creating a 2-on-1 which resulted in Stead beating Gospel low down from the right circle to earn a valuable extra point for the visitors and their third win of the season.
The result - combined with Sheffield Steeldogs four-point weekend - leaves the Knights third in the standings, two points off their Yorkshire rivals and a point further back from leaders Swindon Wildcats.
Ryan Aldridge’s team will look to bounce back this weekend when they host Peterborough Phantoms at The Castle (face-off 6.30pm) on Saturday, November 15 before a first competitive visit of the campaign to Hull Seahawks 24 hours later (face-off 5.30pm).
