BROOKS, AB (January 26, 2018) – Despite outshooting the Canmore Eagles (19-26-2) by a whopping 46-14 margin, the Brooks Bandits (34-11-1) had to slip by in a nailbiter on Friday night, defeating their opponents 2-1 in front of a crowd of 1,491 at the Centennial Regional Arena.
The night was the organization’s first-ever First Responders Night, with members of local fire, police, EMT, and other groups honoured before the game and in attendance throughout the packed seating bowl.
The home crowd was able to get into it early, as just 4:28 into the game Matt Cassidy (Medford, NJ) fired a pass from the left corner of the Canmore zone that found Simon Boyko (Mississauga, ON) in the slot for a quick one time goal, jamming the puck past the glove hand of Canmore goalie Logan Dyck to make it 1-0 Brooks.
In the second, despite an 18-3 shot advantage for Brooks, only one more puck found the back of the net, as a giveaway in front at 17:42 allowed Nic Hamre (Ottawa, ON) to wrist one home from the top of the crease to double the Brooks lead. It was the only other blemish on Dyck’s night, as the Canmore goaltender was otherwise stellar, denying a late Ryan Mahshie (Stoney Creek, ON) breakaway chance and making several other key saves among his 44 stops on the night.
In the third, Jake Ashton one-timed a puck home from the slot at 4:55 to get Canmore on the board, but Brooks held on with 13 key saves by Mitch Benson (Windsor, ON) giving the Brooks netminder his league-leading 33rd win of the season.
The Bandits will go for their eighth straight win on Saturday night as they head up Highway 36 to take on the Camrose Kodiaks on the road. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM with pre-game coverage starting at 6:45 PM on Real Country 105.7.