Bloomington Bison: A New Chapter Begins with Preseason Play
Written by Jaden Cohn on October 17, 2024
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Bloomington Bison held its first preseason season in history from Oct. 7 -11 and wrapped up with an exhibition match against the Indy Fuel on Oct. 12 at Grossinger Motors Arena.
Preseason Week
Newly appointed Head Coach Phillip Barski and his staff spend the summer months scouting players to fit the caliber of the program.
“We were hoping to already have bonds before they come into training camp,” Barski said. “We are witnessing the details of our recruiting.”
The Bison has acquired players from various countries, including South Korea, Sweden, and Canada. It also has a mix of veterans and fresh faces in the league.
Eddie Matsushima will act in the veteran role and has six years of experience.
“We have a lot of youth and energy on the roster,” Matsushima said. “Training camp has been good…guys have been crisp, sharp and the biggest thing is everyone is excited.”
Matsushima previously served the last three seasons on the Tulsa Oilers as a forward. He notched a career-high 28 goals in the 2022-2023 season and represented the Oilers in the ECHL all-star game.
“One of the biggest things I can say about this organization so far is it has been very professional,” Matsushima said. “The communication has been amazing and it is nice that is closer to home compared to other places I have played.”
When it comes to creating a new team, a straight road is not always the case.
“This league in not for the faint of heart,” Barski said. “You get hit with a lot of different things and you have to be able with stand those challenges to make room for growth. This is something us as a staff have done a tremendous job of.”
Exhibition match against Indy Fuel
The Bison fell 4-2 in their exhibition match against the Indy Fuel.
Seoul native Chongmin Lee notched his name into the Bison record books, scoring the first goal in the team’s history.
Mitchell Smith added the second goal for the Bison on a power play.
Hugo Ollas started in front of the net for the Bison, allowing two goals on ten shots. Ollas was replaced by Mark Sinclair, who saved ten of 11 shots taken on the ice in the second period.
The Bison will hit the ice again for its first official match against the Toledo Walleye at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena.
