BROOKS, AB (October 9, 2019) ? Jaxsen Wyatt (Edmonton, AB) scored two goals a day after being acquired from Spruce Grove, and the Brooks Bandits (9-0) continued their season-opening winning streak with a 7-0 win over the Calgary Canucks in a matinee game at the Centennial Regional Arena on Wednesday.
Goaltender Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, AB) stopped all 11 shots he faced for his first career AJHL shutout, in a game played in front of more than 1,100 students bussed in from both Brooks and the surrounding rural areas.
David Paluch (Oakville, ON) opened the scoring with his first Junior A goal when his slapshot from the high slot found the back of the net past Calgary goalie Connor Martin just 4:52 into the game. Wyatt then scored his first of the night at 16:21 when he drove into the Calgary zone down the right side, cut by a defender to the right side of the Canuck net, and flipped a backhander into the far side of the net to double the Brooks lead.
IN-GAME VIDEO: Jaxsen Wyatt scores a highlight reel backhand goal for his first in a Bandits uniform to make it 2-0 Brooks! #AJHL pic.twitter.com/AbEDJcSK0c
? Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) October 9, 2019
In the second, a Calgary turnover to James McIsaac (Winnipeg, MB) at the right faceoff circle allowed the Bandit newcomer to fire pass across to a waiting Bobby Harrison (Waterdown, ON), who tapped the puck in at the left side of the net to make it 3-0 Brooks.
Calgary had its best chance to get on the board soon thereafter on a Cole Svenson breakaway, but his eventual backhand shot was stopped by Barwick to preserve the shutout.
At the 4:38 mark, Harrison fired a pass from the left halfboards to a waiting Wyatt in the slot, who notched a top-corner goal to make it 4-0 Brooks. With 2:56 left in the frame and Brooks on a power play, Randy Hernandez (Miami, FL) fired a shot home from the left circle for a 5-0 advantage.
In the third, Sean Chisholm (Caledonia, ON) scored a highlight reel marker of his own, speeding from his own zone all the way into the Calgary end, driving by two Canuck defenders, and pushing a forehand shot past Martin for a 6-0 lead and his first Junior A goal. Hernandez capped off the scoring at 13:10 on a carry-in by Brayden Krieger (Elora, ON), who feathered a pass from the left half-wall to the Bandit veteran at the top of the crease for a five-hole tip and a 7-0 advantage.
Brooks outshot Calgary 38-11 in the game, going 1 for 4 on the power play and a perfect 5 for 5 on the penalty kill. They will travel to Calgary for the rematch on Friday night at 7 PM before returning home Saturday night to host the Canmore Eagles. Tickets are available online at tickets.brooksbandits.ca.