Brooks Bandits set for Vancouver Island road trip after split weekend

The road trip presents a challenge against two teams from the Coastal West, a division against which Brooks has managed just one win this season.

The Bandits also have an overtime loss to the Cowichan Valley Capitals and a 4-2 loss to Victoria at the BCHL Showcase in Nisku.

The Powell River Kings enter the weekend with a 6-6-1 record, and the Bandits will play a familiar face in former teammate defenceman Mark Konstantinov.

He won a championship with the Bandits last season and will face his former team for the first time.

Konstantinov has one point in 12 games with Powell River.

The Kings are coached by Brennan Menard, who previously led the Sherwood Park Crusaders for three seasons, compiling a 111-55-9 record.

Menard’s Crusaders pushed Brooks to seven games in the second round of last year’s BCHL playoffs before the Bandits advanced with a decisive win in Game 7.

Powell River forward Michael Mikan is another player with experience against Brooks.

He played 41 combined games with the Okotoks Oilers and Sherwood Park Crusaders last season and was held to one point during the seven-game playoff series against the Bandits.

The Harvard commit leads the Kings with 17 points in 13 games, including a team-high eight goals.

Saturday’s matchup against Victoria gives the Bandits a chance to avenge an October loss against the Grizzlies.

Victoria sits atop the Coastal West standings with a 9-4-0 record, despite losing four of its last six games.

The Grizzlies have built their early success around defence, allowing 30 goals through 13 games, compared with 50 for Brooks.

The Bandits have scored 59 goals this season, 16 more than Victoria’s 43, but have also conceded 20 more.

Victoria’s leading presence in net is former Bandit goaltender Mikus Vecvanags, a Montreal Canadiens prospect.

Vecvanags has nine wins in 12 starts, with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage.

He appeared in five games for Brooks during the 2024-25 season, winning four, before his rights were traded to Victoria.

Brooks will also bring several productive players into the weekend. Dmitrijs Dilevka leads the Bandits with 19 points and 15 assists, tied for second in the BCHL scoring race.

Makaio Van Tassel’s 10 goals are tied for fifth in the league.

Defenceman Zachary Deleau leads all BCHL blueliners with 17 points and is tied for the league lead among defencemen with four goals.

Forward Koby Francis has 12 points in seven games, giving him 1.71 points per game, second in the league among players with at least six appearances.

The Bandits visit Powell River on Friday, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. Mountain time.

Saturday’s game in Victoria begins at 7 p.m. Mountain time.

— With files from Ryan Reed, Brooks Bandits

by Jesse Gill

Brooks Bandits set for Vancouver Island road trip after split weekend

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