BROOKS, AB (December 3, 2015) – Newcomers Ty Mappin (Big Valley, AB), Landon Welykholowa (Calgary, AB), and Tristan Thompson (Canmore, AB) all recorded points in their season debuts with the Brooks Bandits (20-6-2), who dispatched the Okotoks Oilers by a 3-1 score on the road on Thursday night.
With the win, the Bandits reclaimed a 3-point lead over the Camrose Kodiaks for first place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) South division.
The Bandits scored all three of their goals on the power play, going 3 for 8 on the night, while also going a perfect 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.
Okotoks was the first team to get on the board, when Matt McNair stuffed a rebound past Josh Davies (Guelph, ON) off of a Carson Beers point shot at the 4:25 mark to give the home side the early lead.
Just under three minutes later, the Bandits converted a minute into their first power play, when Jeff Malott (Waterdown, ON) jammed a puck in from the top of the crease, beating Riley Morris to make it 1-1. The eventual game-winner also came on a Bandit power play, the team’s second, when Mappin tipped a Shane Bear point shot past Morris for a 2-1 lead.
Despite four total power plays in the first period, the Bandits were outshot 7-6 in the opening frame.
A scoreless second period saw the Oilers outshoot the Bandits 12-7, but the third period resulted in an 18-3 Bandit shot advantage, and an eventual insurance goal.
After Oiler newcomer Tanner Laderoute was ejected from the game after taking a major penalty for checking from behind, the Bandits converted on the eventual power play when Dylan McCrory (Kirkland, PQ) found Jared Cockrell in the slot for a quick shot that beat Morris to make it 3-1.
The Bandits held on as Davies ended the night with 21 saves on 22 shots.
Brooks will now prepare for two consecutive home games against inter-divisional opponents; first, the Spruce Grove Saints come to town for a Friday night matchup, and the Whitecourt Wolverines follow it up Saturday night on the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss night, supporting the Scotiabank Smiles for Christmas campaign.
Puck drop for both games is 7:00 PM at the Centennial Regional Arena.