BROOKS, AB (August 26, 2019) ? Justin Ross (Calgary, AB) scored twice, and T.J. Hughes (Hamilton, ON) notched the shootout winner, as the Brooks Bandits opened their 2019-20 preseason schedule with a 5-4 shootout win over the visiting Okotoks Oilers on Monday night.
Bandit goalie Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, AB) made 20 saves for the win, while Parker Sawka stopped 28 of 32 Brooks shots.
Okotoks opened the scoring on its first shot of the game when Jack Works tucked home a backhander on an early breakaway. But the Bandits would tie it up on a Tim Rego (Mansfield, MA) wrist shot from the left faceoff circle.
Brooks broke the tie in the second when Phip Waugh (McLean, VA) settled down an errant pass with his skate and quickly backhanded a pass from the slot to a waiting Ross at the left side of the net, which the rookie Bandit one-timed home to make it 2-1. Minutes later, Ethan Lund (Calgary, AB) kept in a clearance at the point, drove down the right side and fired home a hot wrister to make it 3-1 Brooks.
But the Oilers stormed back with three straight goals to reclaim the lead. Works scored his second of the game on a centering pass from the left corner that deflected in, then Stephen Rosier converted an end wall turnover with a quick sharp angle backhander, while T.J. Koufis scored on a shorthanded breakaway to put the Oilers ahead 4-3.
But the Bandits forced overtime just after Rego barely missed the net on an open cage in the slot; Ross chased down the loose puck after it ricocheted back in front and hammered it past Sawka to make it 4-4.
After two major sprawling overtime saves by Barwick, the game proceeded to a shootout. Brayden Krieger (Elora, ON) snapped a wrist shot by Sawka, while Koufis rang his attempt off the right post. Taylor Makar (Calgary, AB) was stopped by Sawka?s blocker, while Marc Pasemko was stopped by the blocker of Barwick. With the game on the line, T.J. Hughes drove into the slot and snapped another forehand wrister into the Okotoks net to end the game.
The Bandits and Oilers face a rematch Tuesday night at 7 PM at the Centennial Regional Arena. Tickets are available online at tickets.brooksbandits.ca.