Bandits’ record-setting streak ends with 5-4 loss in Spruce Grove

SPRUCE GROVE, AB – The Brooks Bandits’ AJHL-record 22-game win streak to open the season came to an end Saturday night, with a narrow 5-4 loss in Spruce Grove to the Saints.

The loss puts an end to the team’s 55-game season-overlapping regular season win streak, with the team not having lost a regular season game since late November of 2018, nearly a full calendar year ago.

Goaltender Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) also recorded the third-longest win streak to open a season for a goalie in league history with eighteen.

Brooks opened the scoring 9:09 into the game when Sean Chisholm (Caledonia, ON) one-timed home a power play feed off the rush from Chris Pappas (Etobicoke, ON). But the Saints responded with three quick goals off the sticks of Ryan Peckford, Reid Schaefer, and Sam Popowich to take a two-goal lead into the second period.

In the middle frame, the Bandits got closer when Taylor Makar (Calgary, AB) scored his first of the season, also on the power play, but the Saints reclaimed the two-goal advantage when a Saints shot was saved by Charleson and pinned against the back of his pad; but no whistle blew, and as the Saints continued to jam at the puck it came loose again and slid into the Bandit goal.

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Jake Lee (Owen Sound, ON) scored on a wraparound at the 11:48 mark of the third to make it close again, but the Saints again responded with a wrist shot goal from the slot by Adam Hall at 16:42. On the next shift, Tim Rego (Mansfield, MA) went coast to coast and set up Makar for a backdoor tap in and his second of the night, but it was as close as the Bandits would get.

The Saints outshot Brooks 31-21 in the game, with Brooks going 2 for 5 on the power play and a perfect 6 for 6 on the penalty kill.

Brooks returns home to host the Olds Grizzlys on Monday afternoon at 4 PM in the team’s first Remembrance Day game, with special charity jerseys auctioned off on the concourse with profits going to the local Royal Canadian Legion.