BROOKS, AB (September 21, 2019) ? Trey Thomas (Williams Lake, B.C.) scored two goals, and the Brooks Bandits (4-0) got 14 saves from goalie Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, AB) for his first career AJHL win, downing the Calgary Canucks at home 4-2 on Saturday night.
It?s the first time the Bandits have started a season 4-0 since 2012, when they went on to set a new AJHL record with a 20-0 start.
Thomas? first of the game opened the scoring with 1:01 left in the opening frame, when Devin Phillips (Raleigh, NC) fired him a perfect pass from the right corner for a top shelf shot from the slot by the former Bonnyville Pontiac.
The Bandits then dominated the second, outshooting the Canucks 20-2 and notching two more goals; the first a T.J. Hughes (Hamilton, ON) rebound goal, and the second a Chris Pappas (Toronto, ON) wrister off the rush, again set up by Phillips.
In the third, Calgary broke Barwick?s shutout bid with a Dylan Clark wrister from the slot at 9:40, but Thomas scored just 15 seconds later on a net front rebound to reclaim a three-goal lead. With 25 seconds left, Alex Heal scored on a close range play to make it 4-2, but the Bandits held on to sweep their home opening weekend.
Brooks outshot the Canucks 46-16 in the game, going 0 for 3 on the power play and 5 for 6 on the penalty kill.
The Bandits head to Camrose for the annual AJHL Showcase, with an 8 PM matchup on Thursday night against the Spruce Grove Saints in a rematch of last year?s AJHL Final. Pre-game coverage starts at 7:45 PM on Real Country 105.7.