BROOKS, AB (January 29, 2020) – For the first time since February 24, 2018, the Brooks Bandits have lost a regular season home game. The Bandits (40-6-1) fell 6-2 to the Okotoks Oilers (39-6-3) on Wednesday night at the Centennial Regional Arena, their first loss at home this season.
The Bandits won 53 straight regular season home games.
Goaltender Pierce Charleson made 31 saves in the loss, while Oilers netminder Brady Parker made 20 saves in the win.
Okotoks scored just 50 seconds into the game, as Liam Freeborn tapped in a Dylan James pass from the corner to make it 1-0. But 22 seconds later, Bandits forward Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, BC) cleaned up a Randy Hernandez between the legs attempt to tie the game 1-1. The Oilers took a 2-1 lead at 12:06 thanks to a back hand tap in from Jaevon Buschlen.
After the opening 10 minutes of the 2nd period were scoreless, the Oilers scored two goals 22 seconds apart. Jack Works and Louis Jamernik each scored in tight around the Bandit net to make it 4-1.
Brooks got one of the goals back, as forward James McIsaac (Winnipeg, MB) scored on a rebound off a Sean Chisholm shot at 12:26 to make it 4-2.
But Okotoks would score twice more in the 3rd period on goals from Zane Kindrachuk, who finished off a scramble in front of the Bandit net, followed by a Dylan James goal that beat Charleson on the five-hole.
Final shots were 37-22 Okotoks.
The revenge match goes Friday, January 31st as the Bandits travel to Okotoks. Game time is 7:00 PM, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:45 PM on Martin Chrysler Bandits hockey on Real Country 105.7 FM.
Photo: Em Duncan