A 3-1 WIN over Basingstoke Bison was just the tonic Swindon Wildcats player-coach Aaron Nell was looking for to cure a Boxing Day hangover.

Having travelled to Hampshire the night before and suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat, Nell and his side were keen to put it right in front of their home fans this evening.

And it was Tomasz Malasinski who helped them do that as he netted in every session to hand the Cats two points, with Ciaran Long’s third-period goal nothing more than a consolation.

Nell was delighted to see his side respond in the perfect manner and knows that if they play in that manner at home for the rest of the season, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

“It was exactly what we all needed and what we all wanted,” he said.

“Everyone turned up and we were really good and killed a lot of penalties and showed a lot of character.

“We knew that if we played a certain way, we’d have success.

“We were very physical tonight and I don’t think they really liked it.

“When teams are physical, not many teams like it and everyone put a shift in and we’ve got a big team when we’re that physical on our small rink.

“Every time we are in our small rink, we should be playing that hard.

“I am very proud of the team tonight and we should be happy with the result and now we have to push on.”

While Malasinski was grabbing the headlines at one end, veteran netminder Stevie Lyle was putting in a performance to remember at the other and Nell appreciates how fortunate he is to have both players in his side.

“(Malasinski) is fantastic,” he added.

“In the last four games he has seven goals I think and he is a fantastic player and we are lucky to have him.

“I know for a fact, every team in this league would want Tomasz on their team. In my eyes, he is the best import in the league and he has shown it in the last two weeks.

“He shows it in how hard he competes. He did everything – he has scored a hat-trick, has made 10 or 12 hits and we are very lucky to have him in Swindon.

“Stevie (Lyle) tonight, you saw in that first period, he was really good and had to make 12 top, top saves.

“When Stevie can play like that you have always got a massive chance of winning.”