BROOKS, AB (September 1, 2022) – The Brooks Bandits set a team record for largest ever margin of victory in an exhibition or regular season game, crushing the Wisconsin Lumberjacks 23-0 in exhibition play on Thursday at the Centennial Regional Arena in front of 1,011 fans.
Forward Hudson Malinoski had a five goal game, while Wilson Maxfield had a 12 save shutout as the Bandits improved to 2-0 in the Exhibition Season.
Brooks forward Luke Bibby opened the scoring at 1:41, finishing off a two-on-one rush. Forward Dante Palombo made it 2-0 just 19 seconds later on a forehand shot from the right circle. Bandits captain Dario Beljo (AIC) tripled the lead to 3-0 at 3:51 on a forehand shot. Beljo scored again at 7:46 from the left circle to make it 4-0. Malinoski (Providence) scored his first of five at 8:45 to make it 5-0, tapping in an Aiden Fink (Wisconsin) pass. Dante Palombo made it 6-0 at 10:52 on a one-timer from the slot. Fink extended the lead to 7-0 at 13:26 on the powerplay, finishing off a no-look pass from behind the net. Forward Carter Cormier scored on a forehand shot, top shelf at 15:13 to give Brooks a 8-0 lead. With 3:16 left in the frame, forward Hunter Wallace (RPI) tapped in a net front pass from Beljo to make it 9-0. Shots in the 1st were 16-2 Brooks.
Malinoski needed 83 seconds to make it 10-0 into the 2nd period, cleaning up a rebound off a Wallace chance off the rush. Less than a minute later, Malinoski got the hat trick on a toe drag and forehand shot from the right circle to increase the lead to 11-0. Defenceman Hughie Hooker scored on a wrist shot from the left wing to make it 12-0 at 3:40. Forward Heath Armstrong redirected a Beljo pass to make it 13-0 at 5:05. Defenceman Ethan Beyer (Arizona State) nullified a delayed Lumberjacks penalty, scring top shelf at 8:00 to increase the lead to 14-0. Forward Brendan Mairs scored his first of the pre-season at 9:31, one-timing an Armstrong pass to increase the lead to 15-0. Less than a minute later, Malinoski gave Brooks a 16-0 lea, cleaning up a loose puck. At 14:41, Malinoski scored his fifth of the game, backhanding a breakaway chance to make it 17-0. Fink increased the lead to 18-0 at 15:17, backhanding a shot from the net front. Forward Josh Wiebe made it 19-0 at 17:22, firing in a forehand shot. Wallace wrapped up the period at 19:25, scoring from the left circle to make it 20-0. Shots were 26-6 Brooks.
Brooks added three more goals in the 3rd, defenceman Sam Court (New Hampshire) on the powerplay with a right circle shot at 1:54, Mairs cleaned up a loose puck at 17:22, and Carter Cormier finished things off at 18:22, scoring on a forehand shot in front of the net.
The Bandits next exhibition test is Saturday, September 3 when they visit the Okotoks Oilers at 7:00 pm. Brooks will then host Okotoks on Sunday, September 4 at the CRA, game time is 4:00 pm.
Both games will be broadcast on HockeyTV, and a free audio stream will be available on Mixlr.
Photo: Matthew Vossepoel