Brooks Bandits look to build on unbeaten road trip, hosting the Trail Smoke Eaters Wednesday

“It’s nice to get the four points this weekend,” Sajinovic said in a statement from the team.

“It was probably some of the best hockey we have played this season for sure. With having a couple guys out, it was good to have everyone step up.”

The Bandits have faced questions about their defensive play this season, but Sajinovic said the group showed progress over the two games.

“The chances will come. [It is important] that we defend with a purpose; you know, letting in eight goals a couple [of] games before this was an issue, and we cut that in half [over two games],” Sajinovic said in a statement from the team.

Trail enters Wednesday’s matchup with a 7-7-0 record, placing it last in the Interior West Division.

No team in that division sits below .500, and the Smoke Eaters would sit just four points behind Brooks’ first-place position in the Interior East.

Trail has scored 42 goals this season, tied for the fewest in the BCHL with the Surrey Eagles and Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

The Smoke Eaters’ 43 goals against are the second-fewest in the Interior Conference, behind only West Kelowna’s 40.

The Bandits have been more productive offensively, scoring 71 goals, but have also allowed 43.

The Smoke Eaters have won three of their last four games, with their most recent outing a 5-4 loss to the Blackfalds Bulldogs.

Robert Polis leads Trail with 14 points in 14 games, while Dysen Drake has a team-high nine goals.

The Smoke Eaters also traded forward Ben Albers to the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Tuesday for future considerations. Albers had not recorded a point in 13 games this season.

Brooks, by comparison, has nine players averaging at least a point per game: Koby Francis, Dmitrijs Dilevka, Zachary Deleau, Alexei Zhukov, Makaio Van Tassel, Lussier, Jeremy Leroux, Joseph Sinclair and Isaac Suh.

Dilevka leads the Bandits with 23 points, while Van Tassel has a team-high 10 goals.

Wednesday’s puck drop at the Centennial Regional Arena is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Alberta Time.

— With Files from Ryan Reed/Brooks Bandits

by Jesse Gill

Brooks Bandits look to build on unbeaten road trip, hosting the Trail Smoke Eaters Wednesday

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