Newcastle Vipers 2, Basingstoke Bison 5

DOUG Sheppard scored his second hat-trick of the season, as the Basingstoke Bison proved their bouncebackability with victory in Newcastle - reversing the scoreline from their loss at home to Coventry the previous night.

Sharpshooter Sheppard and fellow Canadian Shawn Maltby had a great night, having a hand in all five Bison goals.

The Herd were minus Canadian Jeff Ewasko due to a neck injury picked up against Coventry, but young Brits Greg Wood and Shane Moore were added to the line-up.

From the start the visitors looked faster and sharper, so it was no surprise when they opened the scoring at 7:40, as Sheppard netted from Shawn Maltby and Owen Walter.

The same player extended the lead 10 minutes later on the powerplay, ending a nice move involving Mike Ford and Maltby, who stole the puck from Vipers player/coach Rob Wilson.

Just two minutes later, into the second period, the Bison netted a third as Ford fired over the shoulder of Newcastle's netminder Doug Teskey.

The home side finally beat the visitors' man-of-the-match Ronnie Vogel at 30:28, as Rob Trumbley scored from close range.

The visitors restored their three-goal lead on the powerplay as captain Maltby put away a Sheppard rebound.

Four minutes into the final session, Jonathan Weaver pulled a goal back, and in the final minute of the game, in a bid to force a tie, they pulled their man-of-the-match Teskey for the extra skater.

That move backfired as Sheppard completed his hat-trick, hitting the empty net with 46 seconds left.

Scoring; Vipers: Weaver, Trumbley 1+0, Ferone, Beveridge, Wilson, Longstaff 0+1; Bison: Sheppard 3+2, Maltby 1+4, Ford 1+1, Dalmao 0+2, Walter 0+1. Shots on Goal: Teskey 37, Vogel 20. Penalties: Vipers 16min, Bison 8.