One’s To Watch VS Telford Tigers Saturday 29th October

Wildcats One to Watch

Name: Sam Bullas

The Wildcat to watch this even is our club captain, Sam Bullas, Bully as he is affectionately known by the fanbase has been with the Wildcats for an incredible 13 consecutive seasons.

Bully was born in Nottingham and began his playing career coming up through the Nottingham junior system. He made his debut in senior ice hockey at the age of 16 with his hometown team the Nottingham Lions in the ENL, the second team in Nottingham behind the Panthers. It wasn’t long though before Bully made his debut with the Panthers in the Elite League, in the 2007-08 season he played a total of 23 games for the Panthers and followed this with 20 games the year after.

It was at this point in the summer of 2009 that Bully was offered the chance of an increased role with the Wildcats who were playing in the EPL at the time. He enjoyed a good season that also saw him called up to play for GB U-20s. For Swindon, Bully managed 25 points in 52 games that year.

Over his time with the Wildcats, Bully has played in a total of 611 games scoring 299 points which includes 108 goals. However, as he’s got older Bully’s role on the team has evolved with him, he’s become a leader on the team and also the team’s enforcer. Bully is always there to stand up and protect his teammates. This attitude has seen him rewarded with the captaincy, this is a role he’s held for the past 3 seasons and included lifting the Autumn Trophy last Christmas.

Bully has never been a player that will dazzle you with his scoring talents, he’s a tireless worker with a real physical presence on the ice, he’s the type of player every team wants and needs and the type of player fans love to have on their side. 

Tigers One to Watch

Name: Brad Day

Tonight’s one to watch is a goalie that always seems to save his best play for when he faces up against the Wildcats, Brad Day has really stepped up his game since taking the starters job with Telford and will most definitely pose a serious problem for the Cats forwards tonight.

Day is a product of the Sheffield junior system and has spent the vast majority of his career playing with various Sheffield senior teams, this includes the Spartans, Senators, Steeldogs and Steelers. Throughout his career, Day has perennially been a backup, at first with the Steeldogs in the EPL where he was used sporadically. But, in the latter days of the EPL he gained more starts, this would eventually earn him a call up to the Steelers in the Elite League where he performed as their backup for 4 seasons. In these 4 seasons he played a total of 24 games and he put up some respectable numbers with a GAA around 3.00 and a save % in the high 80’s, given this was in the heavily import dominated Elite League he can be very proud of his record.

In the 2018-19 Day made a move midway through the season to the Hull Pirates who were playing in NIHL 1 North at that point, he took over the starting duties and played very well in this half season, Day posted a save percentage of 92.2% which ranked him as one of the best goalies in the league. Following this he made the move to Telford for the interrupted 2019-20 season but during this game he played 47 games with a save percentage of 90.0% and the Tigers picked up the league title with him between the pipes.

Day is back again with the Tigers for his 3^rd consecutive season and his solid and dependable play gives his team a chance to win every night and it seems every time he plays Swindon, we always see his best play. The Cats players and fans will be hoping he has a rare off night this evening.