BROOKS, AB (October 15, 2022) – Aiden Fink scored a natural hat trick, and the Brooks Bandits winning streak increased to eight games following a 6-3 victory over the Whitecourt Wolverines on Saturday at the Centennial Regional Arena.
Fink (Wisconsin) is the first Bandit to score a hat trick this year, and Ethan Barwick (Lindenwood) made 19 saves in the Bandits (11-1-1) 11th win of the year in 13 games.
Dario Beljo (AIC) opened the scoring at 13:20, scoring from the slot on a right circle dish from Fink to give Brooks a 1-0 lead. Whitecourt tied the game at 17:24, as Aiden Long redirected a Caleb MacDonald blue line shot to make it 1-1. Shots were 12-7 Brooks in the period.
The Bandits retook the lead 3:36 as Elliot Dutil (Lindenwood) sniped a top corner shot to make it 2-1. The Wolverines responded at 10:35, as Chase Broda scored off a screen and rebound to tie the game 2-2. But the Bandits reclaimed the lead at 11:24, as Fink tucked in a five-hole shortside attempt on the powerplay to make it 3-2.
Fink’s 2nd of the game came 4:51 into the 3rd, as Beljo made a spin-o-rama backhand pass to Fink on the doorstep, who knocked in the powerplay goal to make it 4-2 Brooks. Fink completed the natural hat trick at 7:55, snapping in the puck off an offensive zone faceoff draw to make it 5-2. Dutil scored his second of the night at 10:50 of the 3rd period, finishing off a behind the net pass to make it 6-2. Whitecourt got one back at 18:12 as Dylan Leslie scored off the rush to cut to make it a 6-3 Brooks advantage, but that was the final goal. Shots in the 3rd were 15-4 Brooks. The Bandits have won 14 straight over the Wolverines.
Brooks next home game is Wednesday, October 19th vs the Olds Grizzlys. Game time is 6:30 pm.