BROOKS, AB (January 16, 2022) – Ryan McAllister scored a hat trick, Devin Phillips had four assists and the Brooks Bandits downed the Calgary Canucks 7-4 on Sunday at the Centennial Regional Arena.
McAllister (Western Michigan) is at 93 points on the season, and is six points from tying Jeff Marler and Matt Wilkins’ single season team scoring record of 99 points. It was the Bandits (40-2-1) 21st straight home win, and third consecutive win overall.
Highlights:
Bandits forward TJ Hughes (Mercyhurst) scored his league-leading 45th of the season on the powerplay just 2:33 into the game. Defenceman Zach Bookman (Merrimack) fed Hughes the puck to the left of Canucks starter Connor Martin, and after being denied on the first, chance, wasn’t on his second to make it 1-0. Hughes is four goals from tying the team record of 49.
Calgary tied it up on the powerplay as forward Justin Barker one-timed a pass from the left circle to make it 1-1 at 4:48. Then, with 44 seconds left in the period, McAllister cleaned up a rebound off a Hughes shot to reclaim the Bandits lead 2-1. Shots were 18-6 Brooks in the frame.
The Canucks tied it up 1:47 into the 2nd as Barker scored again on pass from the behind the net to tie it up 2-2. Phillips (Holy Cross) gave the Bandits back the lead at 5:19, firing in a left circle shot that went crossbar, right post and in, Brooks took a 4-2 lead at 5:51 as Nic DeGraves cleaned up a loose puck thanks to a Dario Beljo rush to the net. Then at 13:08 on the powerplay, McAllister one-timed a right circle shot thanks to a Bookman pass from behind the goal line to make it 5-2. With 36 seconds left in the frame, Canucks forward Aidan Moore scored from the left point on a forehand shot to cut the lead to 5-3. Shots were 17-6 in the period.
Beljo made it 6-3 at 5:17 of the 3rd, getting a rebound off a right circle shot from Phillips. Then at 8:12, McAllister completed the hat trick, stripping the Canucks of their puck in front of their net, and shooting between the legs to make it 7-3. Calgary’s Barker completed his hat trick at 10:24 on a left circle shot to make it 7-4, but that’s as close as they got. Shots in the 3rd were 7-5 Calgary, but 40-19 Brooks overall.
The Bandits head on the road for five of their next six games, starting Friday, January 21st in Drumheller. Listen to the game on Real Country 105.7 FM.