OKOTOKS, AB (October 8, 2022) – Ethan Barwick turned away 22 shots, the penalty kill went 8/8 for the 3rd time this season, and the Brooks Bandits defeated the Okotoks Oilers 4-1 in a penalty-filled affair.
The Bandits (8-1-1) sit in 1st place in the AJHL with 17 points. Brooks outshot Okotoks 35-23.
The Oilers opened the scoring just 27 seconds in, as forward Nolan Flint scored from the left circle on a redirected forehand shot to make it 1-0. But the Bandits tied up the game at 6:55 as forward Brendan Poshak (Northern Michigan) tapped in a loose puck off a Brendan Mairs right circle shot to make it 1-1. Brooks took a 2-1 lead at 14:46 as forward Caelan Fitzpatrick (Niagara) tipped in a Poshak shot, chasing Oilers starter Parker Sawka, who was replaced by Alex Scheiwiller. The Bandits weren’t done, as forward Aiden Fink (Wisconsin) tucked in a short side attempt, fed by a left circle pass from Hudson Malinoski (Providence) on the powerplay to make it 3-1 at 16:58. Shots in the 1st were 13-10 Brooks.
Forward Elliot Dutil (Lindenwood) added to the Bandits lead at 11:28, scoring a wraparound goal to make it 4-1, as Sawka returned for the 2nd. Okotoks tried to convert on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush, as forward Brett Huxley was denied by a pad save by Barwick. Shots in the 2nd were 10-7 Brooks.
There were no goals in the 3rd period, shots were 12-6 Brooks.
The Annual Thanksgiving Game goes Monday, October 10th, vs the Grande Prairie Storm, game time is 4:00 pm. Fans ages 17 and under get in for free, plus there’s a postgame Skate with the Bandits.a