BROOKS, AB (December 9, 2017) – Will Garin (Mound, MN) sent hundreds of teddy bears flying onto the ice in the first, and a bevy of hats flying onto the ice in the third, as he led the way with three goals in an 8-2 win for the Brooks Bandits (22-10-1) over the Olds Grizzlys (12-20-1) in front of an announced crowd of 1,386 at the Centennial Regional Arena on Saturday night.
The Bandits outshot the Grizzlys 50-15 in the game in one of their most dominant home performances of the year.
Garin’s goal came on the power play at the 7:12 mark when a Dennis Cesana (Providence, RI) point shot bounced off the pad of goalie Andrew Henderson to the Bandit forward at the left circle for a one-time shot that sent the toys flying onto the ice. After a short cleanup, the bears were shipped off to be donated to the Scotiabank Smiles for Christmas progam to help local families in need.
Garin kept the scoring going just over five minutes later, as an excellent pass from Conner Jean (Oakland, MI) in the right corner found him at the top of the crease for a quick low shot that beat Henderson to make it 2-0.
Exactly one minute later, a point shot by Brandon Scanlin (Hamilton, ON) found its way in for a 3-0 Brooks advantage to end the first period.
In the second, just 1:53 in, Jakob LaPointe (Leduc, AB) fired a shot home from the left circle on a setup by Nathan Plessis (Salmon Arm, BC) to make it 4-0 and give him his first regular season junior hockey goal, his first since the 2014 AJHL playoffs with Lloydminster. But on the ensuing shift, Owen Guenter scored from the right hashmarks to make it a 4-1 game.
At the 7:34 mark, Nic Hamre (Ottawa, ON) redirected in another Scanlin shot to make it 5-1, but the Grizzlys again responded with a power play goal from the slot by Chase Olsen at 8:53. Olds looked to have scored again on a net front scramble, but after consultation the officials decided that Logan Bromhead had gloved the puck into the Brooks net and the game remained 5-2.
Jake Theis (Chanhassen, MN) capped off the second period scoring with 35 seconds left when he drove in along the left boards, cut to the front of the net and powered a shot past Henderson for a 6-2 Bandit lead.
Garin completed his hat trick just 11 seconds into the third when he cut to the Grizzly net off the rush and pushed a shot off Henderson and in to make it a 7-2 game.
On the next shift, Olds defenceman Cale Cripps jumped Hamre from behind in front of the Brooks bench, tackling him to the ice and trying to punch him while down, but the Bandit alternate captain popped back up, responded with a flurry of rights of his own, and knocked Cripps to the ice before the linesmen intervened.
Just over halfway through the frame, Matt Cassidy (Medford, NJ) saucered a pass in front to Pierre-Anthony Martineau (Sherbrooke, QC) who made a between-the-legs deflection to beat Henderson, ending his night and making it an 8-2 scoreline.
The Bandits went 1 for 7 on the power play and 3 for 4 on the penalty kill, moving to 3-1 on the season against the Grizzlys. They next host the Bonnyville Pontiacs at the CRA on Friday night at 7 PM for their penultimate game before the Christmas break.