WHITECOURT, AB (October 27, 2023) – A four-goal 2nd period was more than enough for the Brooks Bandits, who picked up their third straight win following a 6-1 defeat of the Wolverines on Friday at JDA Place.
Brooks (14-2) moved into 1st place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with 28 points, and the team continued their streak of never losing in Whitecourt, moving to 12-0 all-time in the regular season.
Goaltender Brendan Holahan (New Canaan, CT) made 20 saves for his fifth win of the season, while six different Bandits scored goals.
The 1st period was scoreless, defenceman Ethan Beyer (Centennial, CO) had the best chance on a shot that went off the right post.
Nic DeGraves (Edmonton, AB) opened the scoring at 1:57 of the 2nd period, scoring off the rush on a forehand shot to make it 1-0. Wallace (Oak Lake, MB) would clean up a rebound off a Logan Sawyer (Calgary, AB) shot at 4:51 to make it 2-0, which was Wallace’s team-leading 11th of the season. Forward Danylo Korzhyletskyi (Kyiv, UA) made it 3-0 at 15:17, one-timing a pass off the wall from Jordan Hughesman (Winnipeg, MB). Sawyer scored at 16:34, recovering a Liam Fitzpatrick (Moose Jaw, SK) shot, spinning and scoring on the forehand to make it 4-0.
The Bandits added to their lead 2:08 into the 3rd period, as defenceman Ethan Beyer (Centennial, CO) scored from behind the goal line after recovering a Korzhyletskyi shot to make it 5-0. Whitecourt got one back at 6:43, as Joey Melo tapped in a Jack Franklin shot to cut the lead to 5-1. But the Bandits would put the game away at 12:34, as forward Ty Mason (Weyburn, SK) one-timed a Wallace pass on the powerplay to make it 6-1, the final. Final shots were 31-21 Brooks.
The Bandits are back in action on Saturday, October 28th when they visit the Spruce Grove Saints. Game time is 7:00 pm.