BROOKS, AB (October 13, 2018) – The Brooks Bandits (10-1) ran their win streak to ten, and completed a perfect 3-game homestand, downing the Whitecourt Wolverines (7-5) by a 4-2 score in front of a crowd of 1,231 at the Centennial Regional Arena on Saturday night.
Jake Theis (Chanhassen, MN) broke a 2-2 tie with a goal off a net front scramble 1:05 into the third period, while Tyler Campbell (Winnipeg, MB) led the way statistically with a goal and an assist.
Campbell was the game’s first goal scorer 1:24 into the first period when he collected a turnover in the Whitecourt zone, drove to the slot around two defenders, and fired a low shot past Whitecourt goalie Ben Rishaug to give the Bandits a 1-0 lead.
Just under seven minutes later, Arnaud Vachon (Ajax, ON) carried in to the right circle and fired a wrister off the rush past Rishaug’s blocker and into the back of the Whitecourt net to double the Brooks lead.
Seeking a momentum shift, the Wolverines pulled goalie Rishaug and replaced him with Tye Morin, with the move paying off as they erased the two goal deficit.
The Wolverines got the first one back at the 11 minute mark when Brayden Labant scored on a wrist shot off the rush from the right circle himself, and the Wolverines headed into the dressing room with just a one goal deficit.
In the second, despite being outshot 13-6, the Wolverines got the only goal of the period when Carson LaPort scored from the left halfwall to make it a 2-2 game.
But early in the third, with the Bandits on a power play after a second period-ending roughing call against Adam Bricker, Brooks reclaimed the lead when a Brandon Scanlin (Hamilton, ON) point shot producing a scramble in front of the Whitecourt net. Jake Theis sped in from the left side and poke checked the puck over the Wolverine goal line for the eventual game-winning goal, his first of the season.
The Bandits got some insurance with just over 2 minutes left when William Lemay (Marieville, QC) scored on a backhand wraparound to notch the 4-2 final score.
Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) made 14 saves on 16 Whitecourt shots to run his goaltending record to 10-0, while the Bandits went 1 for 3 on the power play and a perfect 1 for 1 on the penalty kill.
Next up, Brooks will travel to Camrose to take on the Kodiaks and attempt to extend the win streak to 11, which would match their longest from the 2017-18 season. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM with pre-game coverage starting at 6:45 PM on Real Country 105.7.
Hass Wealth Advisory Group Saves for Brooks & District Health Foundation: 14 Saves = $56 | New Total $408