DRUMHELLER, AB (September 13, 2019) ? Team captain Jake Lee (Owen Sound, ON) scored the team?s first goal of the 2019-20 season, and goalie Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) made 23 saves on 24 shots, as the Brooks Bandits (1-0) defeated the Drumheller Dragons 3-1 on Friday night to open their national title defence campaign.
Lee finished the night with a goal and an assist, while defenceman Corson Ceulemans (Beaumont, AB) had two assists.
It took Brooks just over three minutes to take the lead when Randy Hernandez (Miami, FL) scooped up a puck down low in Drumheller territory, and flung a pass from the left side of the net to a waiting Lee in the slot. The captain fired home a quick snap shot to give Brooks the advantage.
VIDEO: Team captain Jake Lee opens the 2019-20 scoring with his first goal on a masterful setup by Randy Hernandez #AJHL pic.twitter.com/ceuyPKN19T
? Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) September 14, 2019
It would be doubled just over three minutes later when Brayden Krieger (Elora, ON) fired a shot from the right circle that ricocheted off a Dragon?s skate and past goalie Ryley Osland to give Brooks a 2-0 advantage.
VIDEO: Brayden Krieger scores his first goal as a Brooks Bandit to give his team a 2-0 lead in the first period. #AJHL pic.twitter.com/GXBv2RWlRm
? Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) September 14, 2019
Drumheller came out with heavy pressure to begin the second period, but Charleson stood tall in the Bandits net with some key saves, eventually leading to Tim Rego (Mansfield, MA) scoring his first as a Bandit when a screen shot from the right halfwall found its way inside the left post of the Drumheller net.
VIDEO: Tim Rego scores his first goal as a Brooks Bandit to make it 3-0 Brooks in the second period tonight! #AJHL pic.twitter.com/wCualaVTkU
? Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) September 14, 2019
The Dragons converted late when Shane Ott notched a power play goal on a net front scramble with just over a minute left, but the Bandits killed the remaining seconds and took the game by a 3-1 final score.
Brooks will travel to Camrose for their second game of the season on Saturday night, taking on the Kodiaks at 7:00 PM. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:45 PM on Real Country 105.7.