SPRUCE GROVE, AB (May 4, 2022) – The Brooks Bandits are one win away from clinching the 2022 Inter Pipeline Cup thanks to a 4-3 victory in Game 4 of the AJHL Final on Wednesday at the Grant Fuhr Arena.
Anthony Cipollone (Quinnipiac) had a three point game, including the game-winning goal, to give Brooks their third straight win of the series. Ethan Barwick (Lindenwood) made 25 saves for the win. The Bandits lead the Best-of-Seven AJHL Final series 3 games to 1. Game 5 goes Saturday, May 7 in Brooks, game time is 7:00 pm.
The Saints scored first, as Brett Pfoh scored from the high slot on a wrist shot to make it 1-0 Spruce Grove. Shots were 10-9 Saints in the 1st.
Brooks tied it up at 9:02 of the 2nd period, as forward TJ Hughes (Michigan) got a rebound off a Ryan McAllister (Western Michigan) left circle shot and tucked it behind Saints goaltender Zac Onyskiw to tie the game 1-1. Brooks took their first lead at 10:19, as defenceman Brendan Kennette (Sacred Heart) blasted a slap shot on a set up from Anthony Cipollone (Quinnipiac) to make it 2-1 Bandits. But the Saints tied it up 2-2 at 18:06, as Caiden Gault fired in a shot from the wall. Shots were 12-10 Bandits in the period.
Brooks reclaimed the lead at 16:20, as forward Dario Beljo (AIC), tucking the puck underneath Onyskiw on bottom right circle shot to make it 3-2. Brooks would go on their first penalty kill with 2:23 left in the 3rd, with the Saints pulling Onyskiw for the extra attacker, but Cipollone would shoot in the empty netter goal to make it 4-2 at 18:10. Spruce Grove got one back with 17 seconds to go on a Luigi Benincasa goal to cut the lead to 4-3, but that’s as close as they would get as the Bandits won their third straight game and remain undefeated on the road in the 2022 playoffs. Shots were 31-28 Brooks.
3 pt night for Anthony Cipollone in Game 4, including the GWG earns him a postgame chat with @nathandcrosby!@QU_MIH @TheAJHL #BrooksBandits pic.twitter.com/SqXE47Zh85
– Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) May 5, 2022
Postgame comments from Brendan Kennette, who scored in Game 4 to help the #BrooksBandits to a 4-3 win!@TheAJHL @SHUHockey pic.twitter.com/FtLaDdlNs8
– Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) May 5, 2022
Game 5 of the AJHL Final goes Saturday, May 7 in Brooks. Tickets are on sale at brooksbandits.ca.
Photo Credit: Roy Lapa