Bandits down Grizzlys 3-2, notch 8-0 start to season

OLDS, AB – The Brooks Bandits (8-0) keep on winning; killing off five third-period power plays to claim a 3-2 road win over the Olds Grizzlys on Saturday night.

Newcomer James McIsaac (Winnipeg, MB) led the way with two points, after having scored the team’s game-winning goal the prior night against Camrose.

The win, coupled with Sherwood Park’s loss in Okotoks tonight, leaves the Bandits as the only remaining undefeated team in the AJHL.

Olds opened the scoring just 3:20 into the game on a 2-on-1 rush, when Noah Hackett fed a pass from the left side to Kaiden Kanderka at the net front, who tipped the puck past Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) to give the Grizzlys the early lead.

But McIsaac tied the game with just 1:52 left in the opening frame when he forced a turnover at the left circle, cut to the slot, and fired a wrist shot past goalie Ty Marcinkowski to knot the game up.

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The Bandits dominated the second, outshooting the Grizzlys 14-2 and adding two more goals. First, Chris Pappas (Toronto, ON) tipped home a shot from the high slot by Sean Chisholm (Caledonia, ON) to give Brooks its first lead of the game at the 2:13 mark.

With just 30 seconds left, McIsaac fired a pass from the end wall to T.J. Hughes (Hamilton, ON) in the slot, who fired it in to make it 3-1 Brooks after 2.

The Bandits were then called for five separate minor penalties in the third period, giving the Grizzlys a lengthy five-on-three as well, but Olds only converted once, at the 14:26 mark when a Bryce Osepchuk shot from the right circle bounced off Charleson and in.

But with Brooks on one last PK, the Bandits held off the Olds attack, as time expired giving the team its eighth straight win to start the year, and a 41-game win streak overlapping with last regular season.

Next up the Bandits will host the Calgary Canucks in the team’s annual School Day Game, on Wednesday at noon.