BRACKNELL Bees endured a mixed weekend of results as they build up to the start of the English Premier Ice Hockey League season.

Bees suffered a 7-2 loss on the road at Swindon Wildcats on Saturday night but bounced back in style with a 5-3 victory in the return fixture at The Hive the following day.

There were plenty of positives from player/coach Lukas Smital to take from the performances, particularly an outstanding display from Luka Basic, who scored twice and claimed two further assists in Sunday’s night home win.

Swindon scored first at The Hive through Kyle Smith at 6.37. Both sides then incurred a string of penalties before Basic equalised on 10.40 with Carl Thompson and Martin Pavlicek assisting as the first period ended 1-1.

Both sides then racked up further penalties before Thompson fired Bees 2-1 ahead after superb work by Basic and Scott Spearing.

The hosts began to pull away as Alex Barker made it 3-1 at 33.29, with James Galazzi and David Gaborcik assisting.

Back came Wildcasts with a second goal scored by Sam Bullas to leave Bees 3-2 up at the end of the second period.

Mike Crisp replaced Stevie Lyle in goal for Wildcats for the third period, but he was soon picking the puck out of the net after Basic struck at 47.11 with Smital assisting.

It was soon 5-2 to the home side when Spearing found the net with Basic and Thompson involved.

Wildcats man-of-the-match Bullas reduced the deficit on the hour, but Bees were comfortable winners.

It had been a different story on Saturday night after Bees crashed 7-2 away from home.

Bees’ Krystof Kafan was missing due to International Transfer Card clearance issues, but otherwise they travelled with a full-strength squad.

Netminder Matt Smital kept Bees in it with a number of early saves, but he was eventually beaten by a long-range Callum Buglass shot before Max Birbraer and then Toms Rutkis put Wildcats 3-0 up.

The hosts notched a fourth when a deflected effort from Aaron Nell went in to put them 4-0 in front at the end of the first period.

An end-to-end second period saw Jonas Hoog and Nell net for Wildcats before Lukas Smital grabbed Bees’ first of the night as they ended the second period 6-1 down.

Carl Thompson scored a second Bees goal in the final period, but Ben Davies added a seventh for the Wildcats.

Bees open their league campaign with a trip to Milton Keynes Lightning this Saturday (7pm f/o) before they host Sheffield Steeldogs at The Hive the following evening (6pm f/o).