OKOTOKS, AB (October 14, 2023) – The line of Caelan Fitzpatrick, Parker Lalonde and Mirko Buttazzoni combined for three goals and five assists in a 5-3 Brooks Bandits comeback win over the Okotoks Oilers on Saturday at the Centennial Arena.
Johnny Hicks (Kamloops, BC) made 29 saves while the Bandits, who hadn’t trailed in a game since September 22nd, erase a one-goal deficit in the 2nd period. The Bandits streak of not trailing ended at 386 minutes and three seconds.
Forward Caelan Fitzpatrick (Moose Jaw, SK) opened the scoring at 5:01 of the 1st period, sniping a top corner shot to make it 1-0. Five minutes later at 10:50, defenceman Luke Marshall (Saskatoon, SK) scored his first goal of the season off the rush to make it 2-0. But Okotoks would comeback, as Hunter Sawka one-timed a goal at 12:47 to cut the lead to 2-1, followed by a Jack Silverberg powerplay goal at 17:11 to tie the game 2-2.
The Oilers took a 3-2 lead at 1:29 of the 2nd period on a Jagger Tapper goal. Brooks would tie the game 3-3 at 11:51, as forward Logan Sawyer (Calgary, AB) scored a highlight reel goal, carrying into the Oilers zone and beating starter Christian Green. Later at 16:45, Fitzpatrick finished off a Mirko Buttazzoni pass to give Brooks back the 4-3 lead. Buttazzoni (Langley, BC) finished the night with three assists.
It remained 4-3 for much of the 3rd period until the 18:27 mark. Okotoks had just emptied the net for the extra attacker, when Bandits forward Parker Lalonde (Aberdeen, SK) scored on the empty net from the defensive zone to make it 5-3, the final.
The Bandits head on the road for two games, beginning Tuesday, October 17th in Fort McMurray at 7:30 pm. Then, they travel to Bonnyville on Wednesday, October 18th at 7:00 pm. Listen to all games on Real Country 105.7 FM.