Bandits take down Dragons 3-1 in season opener

DRUMHELLER, AB – Team captain Jake Lee (Owen Sound, ON) scored the team’s first goal of the 2019-20 season, and goalie Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) made 23 saves on 24 shots, as the Brooks Bandits (1-0) defeated the Drumheller Dragons 3-1 on Friday night to open their national title defence campaign.

Lee finished the night with a goal and an assist, while defenceman Corson Ceulemans (Beaumont, AB) had two assists.

It took Brooks just over three minutes to take the lead when Randy Hernandez (Miami, FL) scooped up a puck down low in Drumheller territory, and flung a pass from the left side of the net to a waiting Lee in the slot. The captain fired home a quick snap shot to give Brooks the advantage.

It would be doubled just over three minutes later when Brayden Krieger (Elora, ON) fired a shot from the right circle that ricocheted off a Dragon’s skate and past goalie Ryley Osland to give Brooks a 2-0 advantage.

Drumheller came out with heavy pressure to begin the second period, but Charleson stood tall in the Bandits net with some key saves, eventually leading to Tim Rego (Mansfield, MA) scoring his first as a Bandit when a screen shot from the right halfwall found its way inside the left post of the Drumheller net.

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The Dragons converted late when Shane Ott notched a power play goal on a net front scramble with just over a minute left, but the Bandits killed the remaining seconds and took the game by a 3-1 final score.

Brooks will travel to Camrose for their second game of the season on Saturday night, taking on the Kodiaks at 7:00 PM. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:45 PM on Real Country 105.7.