YANIV PERETS SHINES IN 2-0 BISON VICTORY
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Yaniv Perets’ third shutout led the Bison to a 2-0 victory over the Indy Fuel at Grossinger Motors Arena on Sunday afternoon.
No scoring occurred in the first period. Despite two powerplay opportunities, the Bison failed to capitalize on the man advantages. To conclude the frame, the Bison and Fuel both had five shots on goal.
The game remained scoreless in the second period. The Bison and Fuel each had one powerplay opportunity, which neither could convert. The Fuel dominated offensively in the frame, outshooting the Bison by a 16-3 margin.
The Fuel began the third period on the powerplay. However, the Bison surged during the penalty kill as Eddie Matsushima scored a shorthanded goal at :23 into the frame. Jake Murray assisted Matsushima’s 23rd of the season. Later in the period, with the Indy net empty for the extra attacker, Matsushima scored at 16:25 to extend the Bison lead to 2-0. Danny Katic and Chongmin Lee assisted on Matsushima’s 24th goal of the season, securing the Bison win.
Perets led the Bison to victory, stopping all 36 shots. Logan Neaton made 15 saves on 16 shots for the loss. The Bison went 0-for-5 on the powerplay, and the penalty kill went 4-for-4.
The Bison visit Indy on Tuesday morning for a 9:30 a.m. faceoff at Fishers Event Center. The game can be viewed on FloSports or the Bison Audio Network.
The Bison will return to Grossinger Motors Arena at 10:30 a.m. on March 5th for an Education Day game featuring a stem book giveaway! Single-game seats and group pricing with benefits and suite options are available. Visit bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD for more information.
BISON SUFFER 3-2 OVERTIME LOSS
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – The Bloomington Bison lost an overtime thriller by a 3-2 score to the Indy Fuel on Saturday night at Grossinger Motors Arena.
7:11 into the first period, Indy took a 1-0 lead as Matus Spodniak scored his third of the season. Spodniak’s goal was short-handed and went unassisted. Keeping their momentum, the Fuel extended their lead as D.J. King snapped a one-timer into the net at 10:42. Bryan Lemos and Alex Wideman assisted king’s second goal of the season. 16:15 Max Neill and D.J. King dropped the gloves, resulting in fighting majors. On a late power play, Chongmin Lee and Jake Murray assisted on Danny Katic’s seventh of the season at 19:38. The Bison outshot the Fuel by a 14-10 margin.
In a penalty-filled but scoreless second, the Bison saw five powerplay opportunities. Even with a five-on-three powerplay at 11:21, the Bison could not convert. To conclude the period, the Fuel outshot the Bison by a 10-9 margin.
2:24 into the third, Thomas Stewart scored the equalizer on a one-timer from Kohei Sato. Sam Coatta also assisted on Stewart’s fourth of the season. Bloomington was penalized twice and forced to kill a five-on-three late in the game. The team succeeded, and the game was headed to overtime. The Bison were outshot by a 13-3 margin in the third.
4:32 into overtime, Nathan Burke scored the game-winning goal on a rush into the Bloomington zone. Burke’s 14th of the season was assisted by Lucas Brenton.
Kasimir Kaskisuo took the loss for the Bison with 33 saves on 36 shots. Cameron Gray secured the win for the Fuel, making 24 saves on 26 shots. The Bison went 1-for-8 on the powerplay, and the penalty kill went 6-for-6.
Tomorrow, the Bison play at 3 p.m. at Grossinger Motors Arena, featuring Sunday Family Fun Day, where KIDS EAT FREE with a voucher for a hot dog, chips, soda, and cookie. Single-game pricing starts as low as $20! Group pricing with benefits and suite options are also available. Visit bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD for more information.
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KOHEI SATO LEADS BISON TO 5-2 VICTORY
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Kohei Sato’s three-point night helped the Bloomington Bison snap their four-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Indy Fuel at Grossinger Motors Arena on Friday night.
The Bison opened the scoring 7:11 into the first period as Patrick Bajkov stuffed the puck on a rebound from Carson Kosobud. Bajkov gave the Bison an early lead with his ninth goal of the season. However, the lead was stripped away as D.J. King evened the score at 9:40. Cam Hausinger and Ethan Manderville assisted King’s first goal of the season. The rest of the period saw no score, but the Bison outshot the Fuel by a 10-9 margin.
:57 into the second period, Sato scored on a wrist shot to give the Bison again the lead. Sam Coatta and Matt Staudacher assisted on Sato’s third of the season. However, at 6:33, Nathan Burke scored his 13th of the season on the powerplay. Colin Bilek and Bryan Lemos assisted Burke’s goal. Keeping the scoring momentum, the Bison took a 3-2 lead as Danny Katic scored on a partial breakaway at 10:15. Katic’s fifth of the season was assisted by Sato and Staudacher. Concluding the period, the Fuel outshot the Bison by a 10-9 margin.
3:17 into the third period, Coatta snuck the puck past Logan Neaton for his fifth of the season from Sato and Josh Boyer. To conclude the scoring, Katic tallied his second of the night at 14:43 to make it a 5-2 final. Katic’s sixth of the season and second of the night was an empty net goal assisted by Eddie Matsushima.
Yaniv Perets secured the win for the Bison, making 21 saves on 23 shots to improve his record to 9-8-1. Neaton made 28 saves on 32 shots in the loss for the Fuel. The Bison went 0-for-5 on the powerplay, and the penalty kill went 2-for-3.
The Bison return to Grossinger Motors Arena tomorrow at 7 p.m. for New York Rangers Night, featuring two-time Stanley Cup winner Adam Graves! Graves will sign autographs, take pictures, and participate in the ceremonial puck drop. Visit bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or call (309) 965-HERD for tickets starting at $20.
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BISON COMPLETE TRADE WITH RAPID CITY
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today that the team has acquired forward Dustin Manz from the Rapid City Rush. This move completes the future considerations portion of the previous trade that sent defenseman Mitchell Smith to the Bison.
Manz, 25, has appeared in 25 ECHL games this season between the Wheeling Nailers and the Rush, totaling five points (two goals, three assists) and a +3 rating.
The Vanderbilt, Michigan native played 181 career NCAA games between American International College and Lake Superior State University. He totaled 85 points (28 goals, 57 assists) with 83 penalty minutes.
The 5-foot-10 forward helped the Lakers win a NCAA (WCHA) Championship in 2021.
The Bison return home tomorrow night at Grossinger Motors Arena at 7 p.m. The Legacy Weekend Package is available for purchase! The package includes one platinum center ice seat on Friday (All-You-Can-Eat Night), one platinum center ice seat on Saturday (New York Rangers Night), a VIP meet-and-greet with Adam Graves, and a Bison hat for just $49! To purchase, click HERE, or call (309) 965-HERD.
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BISON OPEN SCORING BUT FALL IN IOWA
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Coralville, Iowa – In a penalty-filled game, the Bloomington Bison suffered a 4-1 loss to the Iowa Heartlanders on Wednesday night at Xtream Arena.
7:28 into the game, Patrick Bajkov opened the scoring with his eighth of the season on a rush into the offensive zone. His eighth of the season came from C.J. Valerian and Maxim Barbashev. The lead dissolved at 15:13 with a goal from Kyle Masters. Ryan Miotto assisted his second of the season. With 1:45 left in the period, the Heartlanders grabbed a 2-1 lead with a power play strike. Gavin Hain scored his ninth of the season from Masters to close the scoring in the period. Iowa outshot Bloomington 13-4 in the period.
Halfway through the second, Brandon Yeamans scored his fourth of the year to give Iowa a 3-1 lead. Yuki Miura and Jonny Sorenson assisted with the lone goal during the period. The intensity rose during the frame as eight separate penalties were assessed.
The high volume of penalties continued into the third, and Iowa was able to convert on a man advantage late in the game. At 14:32, Will Calverley scored his 13th of the year from Miotto and Hain. This completed the scoring, with Iowa collecting the 4-1 victory.
Yaniv Perets stopped 28 of 33 shots in the loss to move his record to 8-8-1. Kyle McClellan denied 16 of 17 shots to improve his record to 11-11-2. The Bison power play went 0-for-6, while the penalty kill went 7-for-9.
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BISON SIGN PAIR OF DEFENSEMEN
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today the signings of defensemen Renat Dadadzhanov and C.J. Valerian to ECHL standard player contracts.
Dadadzhanov, 25, played 33 games this season with the Peoria Rivermen of the Southern Professional Hockey League, scoring ten points (two goals and eight assists) and registering 81 penalty minutes, the second-most on the team.
The Moscow, Russia native played in 110 career QMJHL games between Shawinigan Cataractes and Val d’Or Foreurs, totaling 18 points (one goal, 17 assists) with 63 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman was a Rivermen 2023-24 SPHL championship team member.
Valerian, 29, played 19 ECHL games with the Reading Royals and 12 SPHL games with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs this season.
The Gates Mills, Ohio native posted two assists and 25 penalty minutes with the Royals. While with the Rail Yard Dawgs, he totaled six points (one goal, five assists) with 12 penalty minutes and a +14 rating.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defenseman was a Rail Yard Dawgs 2022-23 SPHL Championship team member.
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BISON SIGN DEFENSEMAN CARSON KOSOBUD
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today the signing of defenseman Carson Kosobud to a standard ECHL player contract.
Kosobud, 25, played in 26 games with Strasbourg in the France2 league this season. He scored 13 points (seven goals and six assists) and played 31 penalty minutes.
The Moorhead, Minnesota native skated in 74 career NCAA games between Arizona State University and the University of Alaska-Anchorage from 2020-2024, totaling 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) and 79 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman previously played 88 games in the British Columbia Hockey League with the Penticton Vees, totaling 29 points (six goals and 23 assists) and 62 penalty minutes.
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BISON LOSE THIRD STRAIGHT
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – The Bloomington Bison fell in a hard-fought game against the Toledo Walleye by a 5-2 score on Sunday at Grossinger Motors Arena.
2:19 into the first period, Mitchell Lewandowski broke the deadlock with his 14th tally of the season. Colin Swoyer and Sam Craggs recorded assists on the goal. The Bison responded swiftly at the 7:57 mark, with Maxim Barbashev cleaning up a rebound after a shot from Carter Berger. Bryce Montgomery also recorded an assist on Barbashev’s third goal of the season. The Walleye wouldn’t settle for a tie in the first, scoring at 15:58. Craggs recorded an unassisted goal for his 14th of the season to give the Walleye a 2-1 lead to end the first frame.
The score remained the same throughout the second period, which lasted 20 minutes. Despite limited action around the net, the Bison outshot the Walleye by an 8-7 margin.
The Walleye picked up where they ended the first period by scoring two goals in three minutes to open the third frame. At 5:58, Brandon Hawkins recorded his 29th goal of the season. Bobby Russell and Tyler Spezia notched assists on the goal. Shortly after, Spezia netted his 24th tally of the season from Hawkins and Carson Bantle to give the Walleye a 4-1 lead. The Bison would crawl within two goals after a Ryan Siedem powerplay goal. Patrick Bajkov and Blake McLaughlin recorded assists on Siedem’s third tally of the year at 16:25. With under two minutes remaining, Spezia recorded his second goal at 18:44 on an empty net opportunity. The goal was unassisted, and the game was closed out, with Toledo winning 5-2.
Kasimir Kaskisuo stopped 28 of 32 shots in his Bison debut. Jan Bednar recorded the win with 33 saves on 35 shots. Bloomington went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed both penalties against them.
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BISON RETURN HOME BUT FALL TO CYCLONES
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – The Bloomington Bison suffered a 5-2 loss against the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday night at Grossinger Motors Arena.
At 9:16 in the first period, the Cyclones took the lead, as Mark Sikic scored his seventh goal of the season, assisted by Chas Sharpe and Ty Voit. The Bison had two powerplay opportunities but failed to score. The Cyclones outshot the Bison 14-8.
Zack Hoffman and Rhett Parsons dropped the gloves at 2:34 to kick off the second frame. At 5:08, Ryan Siedem’s wrist shot deflected off Eddie Matsushima to even the score on the powerplay. Connor Lockhart also assisted Matsushima’s 21st of the season. The Cyclones responded quickly at 8:07 as Sharpe scored his 18th of the season. Dante Sheriff and Tristan Ashbrook assisted to take a 2-1 lead. At 11:03, the Cyclones extended their lead on a two-man advantage as Lincoln Griffin found Sheriff in the slot for his seventh goal. The Cyclones outshot Bison by a 15-9 margin during the second period.
Matsushima began the scoring in the third at 10:23 for his second goal of the game and 22nd of the season. Lockhart and Patrick Bajkov assisted to make it a one-goal game. Attempting a late-game rally, the Bison pulled Yaniv Perets for a man advantage. However, Curtis Hall found Remy Parker for a breakaway to post a 4-2 lead at 18:23. Parker’s empty-net goal was his sixth of the season. The Cyclones immediately extended their lead on another empty net goal at 19:25 as Sheriff found Ashbrook for his 15th of the year. The goal sealed the scoring as the Cyclones defeated the Bison 5-2.
Vyacheslav Peksa secured the win for the Cyclones, making 23 saves on 25 shots. Perets made 32 saves on 35 shots in the loss. The Bison went 1-for-5 on the powerplay, and the penalty kill went 3-for-4.
The Bison square up against the Toledo Walleye tomorrow at 3 p.m. for Sunday Family Fun Day and the birthday celebration of the Bison mascot, Abe. Kids 12 and under EAT FREE with a voucher for a hot dog, chips, soda, and cookie. Following the final horn, all fans are welcome to join the Bison players for a post-game skate and autograph session.
Reggie Redbird (Illinois State), Tommy the Titan (Illinois Wesleyan University), Rocky (Peoria Rivermen), Corny (Normal CornBelters), and The Belted Kingfisher (University of Illinois) will join Abe for his birthday festivities.
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BISON SILENCED IN KALAMAZOO
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Kalamazoo, Mich. – The Bloomington Bison faltered against the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday night by a 4-0 score at Wings Event Center.
The teams skated through a scoreless first period, with the Bison outshooting the Wings by a 13-8 margin. Each team had two power plays but couldn’t convert.
The Wings opened the scoring 2:28 into the second period with a goal from Davis Codd. His fourth of the year was unassisted. Lee Lapid extended the Wings lead at 15:25 with his third of the season from Ben Berard. While on a late power play, Lapid scored again with 1:14 remaining in the second period for his second of the game and fourth of the year. The goal closed the scoring in the period and was assisted by Blake Christensen and Berard. The Wings outshot the Bison 19-9 in the frame.
The Bison made a strong offensive push in the third with many scoring chances. Despite the effort, Bloomington was held scoreless and pulled the goaltender for an extra attacker. With 4:26 remaining, Zach Berzolla found the empty net for his second of the season. The unassisted goal sealed the Wings victory.
Yaniv Perets stopped 31 of 34 shots in the loss. Ty Young saved all 37 shots, including 15 in the third period, for the shutout victory. The Bison went 0-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
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BISON SIGN GOALTENDER KASIMIR KASKISUO
By: Andy Zilch, Bloomington Bison
Bloomington, Ill. – Bloomington Bison General Manager and Head Coach Phillip Barski announced today that the team has signed goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo to a standard ECHL player contract.
Kaskisuo, 31, has appeared in two ECHL games this season, with the Norfolk Admirals going 0-2-0, with a .873 save percentage and a 3.53 goals-against average.
The Vantaa, Finland native, has played in two NHL games, split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Nashville Predators. In addition, Kaskisuo has played in 108 career AHL games between the Toronto Marlies, Chicago Wolves, and Laval Rocket. He has a 53-36-13 AHL record with a .909 SV% and a 2.68 GAA.
The 6-foot-3, 194-pound netminder has also appeared in 36 ECHL games between the Admirals and Orlando Solar Bears. Before his professional career, Kaskisuo skated with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
The Bison will return home to Grossinger Motors Arena tomorrow for hockey, which is for Lovers Night! The faceoff against the Cincinnati Cyclones is set for 7 p.m. The Sweetheart Package includes two tickets to the Ice Level Party Deck with all-inclusive food, soft drinks, domestic beers, and seltzers. Also included in the package is a carnation flower, an embroidered Bison hat, and a sweetheart gift bag. The Sweetheart Package is available for only $116 and can be purchased by visiting bloomingtonbisonhockey.com or calling (309) 965-HERD.
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