GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB (November 27, 2021) – The Brooks Bandits went five for five on the penalty kill, and Ryan McAllister scored a powerplay insurance marker with four minutes left in the 3rd, giving the Bandits a 4-1 win over the Storm on Saturday at Bonnetts Energy Centre.
It was the Bandits (25-1-1) fifth straight win, and the team hasn’t lost in regulation in 25 games. Brooks remains undefeated in regulation on the road this year. It was a goaltender battle that saw Ethan Barwick make 19 saves, while Aiden Feddema starred in the Storm net with 25 stops.
Highlights:
The 1st period was scoreless, with the Bandits successfully killing off two penalties. Shots favoured the Brooks 10-9.
It only took 32 seconds of the 2nd period for the 0-0 deadlock to be broken. Forward Anthony Cipollone buried a one-timer on a behind-the-net setup to make it 1-0. The Bandits had a goal waved later in the period on a net front scramble thought to be stuffed in by forward TJ Hughes (Mercyhurst), but the referee deemed the puck did not cross the goal line. However, the Bandits would double their lead to 2-0 at 17:30, as forward Aiden Fink (Wisconsin) took a Zach Bookman (Merrimack) blueline pass and was denied on his first attempt, but got his own rebound to give Brooks some breathing room. Shots were 8-6 Bandits.
Grande Prairie got one back at 3:54 as Nathaniel Bierd tipped in a point shot to make it 2-1. However, following two more successful kills, the Bandits got the insurance they needed at 16:10 as McAllister scored from the high slot on the powerplay to make it 3-1. Then with 45 seconds left, Bookman scored on an empty net from his own defensive zone to make it 4-1, the final. Shots in the 3rd were 10-5 Brooks, and 28-20 overall.
Postgame comments from Ethan Barwick:
The Bandits road trip concludes on Sunday, November 28th when the team visits the Whitecourt Wolverines. Puck drop at Scott Safety Centre is 2:30 pm, live play-by-play can be heard on Real Country 105.7 FM.