Bandits battle back to win in Sherwood Park, 6-3
SHERWOOD PARK, AB – The Brooks Bandits (6-4) fell behind 31 seconds into the game, and faced a 2 goal deficit before the game was 7 minutes old. But the team rebounded to sweep its northern road swing with a 6-3 victory over the Crusaders in Sherwood Park on Saturday night.
Matt Cassidy (Medford, NJ) had his first two goals as a Bandit, including the game-winner and game-sealing empty netter, while Cale List (Petawawa, ON) scored a highlight reel breakaway backhander for his first in a Brooks uniform as well.
The opening shift put the Bandits behind when leading scorer Ty Readman tapped in a goal backdoor from the right side of the net 31 seconds in. The Crusaders doubled the lead at the 6:26 mark when defenceman Tyler Pang scored on a high shot from the left corner. But less than a minute later, the Bandits got on the board when a Dennis Cesana (Providence, RI) point shot produced a rebound for Orca Wiesblatt (Calgary, AB) to backhand past a sprawling Brandon Vogel to cut the deficit in half.
At the 13:59 mark, the Bandits erased the deficit, but were witness to a scary scene as Tyler Carangelo (Hamden, CT) scored on a wrist shot from the right circle but was immediately hit in the head by Crusader defenceman Ben McLeod, fell to the ice, and had to be stretchered off the ice by attending EMTs.