ESTEVAN, SK (May 21, 2022) – The Brooks Bandits tied a Centennial Cup record for most goals in one game following an 11-4 victory over the Red Lake Miners in Preliminary Round action on Saturday at Affinity Place.
The Bandits (2-0-0-0) scored five unanswered goals in the 3rd period to pull away and defeat the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) Champions to win back-to-back games to open the 2022 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons. Goaltender Ethan Barwick made 13 saves.
Photo: Matt Murnaghan
Red Lake opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 3:35 into the contest; Jordan Baranesky tapped in a pass off an odd-man rush to make it 1-0 Miners. But Brooks responded at 5:25, forward Dario Beljo (AIC) sniped a right circle shot top corner to make it 1-1. The Bandits got their first lead at 6:11 on the powerplay, as forward Noah Hackett (Niagara) skated through a defender in the left circle and shelved a forehand shot to make it 2-1. Bandits forward Nic DeGraves extended the lead to 3-1 at 10:08, scoring off the rush on a forehand shot. Forward Aiden Fink (Wisconsin) added to the lead at 17:29, cleaning up a loose puck off a Hunter Wallace (RPI) attempt. Shots were 16-3 Brooks in the period.
The Miners opened the scoring in the 2nd period, as Noah Kramps scored off the rush at 2:36 to cut the Bandits lead to 4-2. But Brooks would get two back, as forward Heath Armstrong was fed a cross-ice pass from Hackett, and while his initial shot was stopped by Miners goaltender Jaxson Taupert, he got his own rebound and scored to make it 5-2 at 7:19. That was followed by a TJ Hughes (Michigan) goal, who deked a defender and slid a forehand shot into the net at 14:01 to make it 6-2. Red Lake would score twice to get within two, as Nic Bolin scored on the backhand at 14:44 to make it 6-3, followed by a Brady Harroun goal at 17:19 to cut the lead to 6-4. Shots were 12-7 Brooks in the period.
Brooks only needed 38 seconds into the 3rd period to take a 7-4 lead, as forward Devin Phillips (Holy Cross) one-timed a shot from the right circle. He scored again at 4:25 from the same spot on a one-timer to make it 8-4. Forward Hunter Wallace sniped a left circle shot 8:17 to increase the lead to 9-4, and then forward Ryan McAllister (Western Michigan) scored on a forehand shot from the left circle at 13:33 to give Brooks a 10-4 lead. The Bandits put the final touches on the game at 15:55 on the powerplay, as defenceman Josh Zinger (Northern Michigan) caught a pass in the slot and took a wrist shot that found the back of the net to make it 11-4. Shots in the 3rd period were 17-7 Bandits and 45-17 overall.
There have been seven games in Centennial Cup history, including this game, that saw one team score 11 goals. No team has ever scored 12 in a game.
The Bandits return to the ice on Tuesday, May 24 at 12:00 pm (MST) vs the Pickering Panthers, the Ontario Junior Hockey League Champions. The game can be heard on Real Country 105.7 FM or streamed for free on hockeycanada.com/centennialcup.