BROOKS, AB (September 4, 2021) – The Brooks Bandits had six different goal scorers find the back of the net, as they opened their 2021 preseason with a 7-2 win over the Drumheller Dragons Saturday night at the Centennial Regional Arena.
Forward Devin Phillips (Holy Cross) had two goals, while forward TJ Hughes (Mercyhurst) opened the scoring just 17 seconds in a game the Bandits never trailed. Attendance was 1,199.
Goaltender Jared Whale made 19 saves in the win, as Brooks is 1-0 in the preseason, with the rematch going Sunday in Drumheller at 4:00 pm.
Highlights presented by Days Inn & Suites:
The Hughes goal to open the scoring happened after the Dragons failed to clear a point shot from defenceman Boston Buckberger (Wisconsin). Hughes shot the puck in from the edge of the right circle to make it 1-0 Brooks. McAllister made it 2-0 at the 8:56 mark after skating in from the mid-blueline and firing in a wrist shot. Shots were 14-5 Bandits in the frame.
Brooks added to their lead in the 2nd, as Phillips wired a shot from the right circle top shelf, set up by Hughes to make it 3-0 with under nine minutes left in the frame. With under two minutes to go, Bandits forward Jack Seymour drove to the Bandits net, and created a loose puck for line mate Hunter Wallace, who cleaned it up and made it 4-0. In the final minute of the frame, forward Aiden Fink (Wisconsin) cut to the right circle and shot the puck off teammate Ethan Lund (Niagara), who redirected the puck in to make it 5-0 Brooks. Shots were 10-8 Bandits.
The Dragons got two goals back in the 3rd period. Defenceman Kiano Robinson scored on a point shot just 21 seconds into the frame, followed by a Grayson Dietrich backhander that found the back of the net two minutes later, cutting the Bandit lead to 5-2.
However, Brooks would reclaim their five-goal lead. Defenceman Brendan Kennette (Sacred Heart) one-timed a Seymour pass at 14:35, followed by another one-timer by Phillips with just over two minutes to go to make it 7-2. Final shots were 34-21 Bandits.
The AJHL Preseason trial overtime period saw Drumheller’s Myles Hilman clean up a loose puck in the Bandit slot 1:38 into the 3 on 3 overtime.
Bandits Season Tickets are ON SALE NOW. For $360, secure a seat for all 29 home games. Call 403-501-0122 or visit tickets.brooksbandits.ca for more information.