Brooks Bandits repeat as BCHL Champions, host parade Monday evening

A season-high 2,072 crammed into the CRA with standing room only to watch the Bandits claim the title.

It was a hard-fought series with the Bandits winning four straight overtime games after dropping game one of the series.

Game five wasn’t looking great for the Bandits early, as the Clippers opened the scoring 3:41 into the first period with a Patrick Fortune goal.

Then a short-handed marker from Drew Roeflos of the Clippers at 13:41 into the game extended the lead to 2-0.

The Bandits would strike first in the second period, just 22 seconds in, when Jack Rosensteel got his ninth of the playoffs, assisted by Isaac Johnson.

Liam Fitzpatrick would then tie it up at two with his 10th of the playoffs at six minutes into the second frame. Jack Good and Dane Sorensen drew assists.

The game remained tied going into the second period before the Bandits would take their first lead of the game at 5:42 into the third period. Frantisek Albrecht scored after a Luke Melnik shot went in off his skate. Dmitrijs Dilevka also picked up an assist.

A Clippers team that wasn’t going down easily pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker and scored with just 48 seconds remaining in regulation. Samuel Boisvert got the equalizer for the Clippers, which had set the stage for overtime, where the Bandits finished the series off.

Bandits goaltender Zach Zahara was named Playoff MVP, starting all 21 playoff games for the Bandits with a 1.91 goals against average and a .928 save percentage. He turned aside 25 of 28 shots in the final game.

Clippers goaltender Eliot Séguin-Lescarbeau was also sharp in the final game, as he had been all series with 43 saves on 47 shots.

Zahara said in a post-game interview with the BCHL that the series was a battle to the end.

“I’ve never seen a playoff series be so tight. Four of the games going to overtime, and to just all our way every time is unbelievable,” Zahara said.

The netminders said that the team stuck together after a slow start to the season.

“In our second half, we lost one regulation game, our group grew so much throughout the playoffs and the whole season. It’s just a great group,” Zahara said.

Jack Good said in his post-game interview that scoring the final goal was a bit of a blur.

“From what I remember, my two wingers or linemates were forechecking in the corner, and I saw a little open ice, and I popped to it,” Good said.

“I’m fortunate enough to play with two great players. They found me the puck, and I buried it, and then the rest is history,” he added.

“It’s just pure excitement, man. We’ve been working so hard. Nine months of grinding, blood, sweat and tears. We talked about this every day for nine months, all leading up to this moment. It just feels so good. I’m so happy to get it done with these guys.”

Good missed a stretch of the playoffs coming back from injury.

“You build relationships with these guys, and it gets to a point where you’ve got to put the team above yourself,” Good said.

“The friendships, the memories we made, such a close group of guys, and everybody loves each other so much. I’m just never gonna forget these guys. It was unbelievable.”

Bandits captain Dante Siciliano said they were a resilient group that faced lots of adversity and started pushing forward after the Christmas break.

He added that the experience with overtime in the series had them ready for it.

“We knew what to expect. We knew what it was going to take to get the win, and I couldn’t be more proud of my guys here,” Sicilano said.

“They have the momentum going in scoring late there. They’re going to be juiced up to come out against us. We stay composed. We’ve been in this position before. We knew what it was going to take to win,” he added.

“We had buy-in from every single guy, our whole coaching staff, and it’s just a surreal moment.”

The captain will have fond memories of the championship team.

“Just how tight we got as a group. Through these last two months, but throughout the season. A lot of conditioning throughout the season, but it got us ready for this point,” Sicilano said.

“I know a lot of Europeans that I’m gonna have to go visit now in Europe,” he added.

“Just how tight we got as a group, and brothers for life, champions for life. It’s the best feeling ever, winning. Last year was great, but winning back-to-back, and then with a new group and leading these guys is unbelievable.”

Brooks has seen the Bandits succeed for several years now. The Bandits have won a league title each year they have been eligible since 2019.

A span that includes the BCHL titles in 2026 and 2025, the BCHL Rocky Mountain Challenge in 2024, the Alberta Junior Hockey League Championship in 2023, 2022, and 2019. The Bandits also won the National Junior A title in 2023, 2022, and 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out post-season competition for the AJHL in both 2020 and 2021.

Previously, the Bandits also won the National Junior A Championship in 2013, the Western Canada Cup in 2017, and AJHL titles in 2017, 2016, 2013, and 2012.

The program has continued its success, even after the departure of former head coach and general manager Ryan Papaioannou. He was with the Bandits from 2008 to 2025 before taking on a head coaching role with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers for the 2025-26 season.

First-year Bandits head coach Dakota Mason took over the role after serving as an assistant under Papaioannou for two seasons, and helped bring home the title to Brooks.

The Bandits Championship Parade will leave The Brick at 6:30 p.m. and travel down Second Street West, ending at Veterans Park.

There will be a free hot dog BBQ in the park at 7 p.m. and speeches from the team.

The Bandits Championship Parade will leave The Brick at 6:30 p.m. on Monday and travel down Second Street West, ending at Veterans Park.

There will be a free hot dog BBQ in the park at 7 p.m. and speeches from the team.

by Jesse Gill

Brooks Bandits repeat as BCHL Champions, host parade Monday evening

Our Community