Bandits split final pre-season games with Okotoks

The tie lasted just 18 seconds before Jeff Niehaus scored to restore the Oilers’ 3-2 lead.

Okotoks then added back-to-back power-play goals early in the third period.

Ben Deacon scored his second goal in as many games before Jamie Hikida added another power-play marker less than two minutes later.

Zachary Deleau cut the deficit to two with his second pre-season goal. The Bandits, however, couldn’t complete the comeback.

Bandits goaltender Emile Beaunoyer stopped 25 of 30 shots in the loss.

The loss followed a much different result Friday, when the Bandits defeated Okotoks 6-3.

The Bandits jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead and extended the advantage to 5-0 midway through the second.

Five different Brooks players scored in the victory, with Tomas Racz, Zachary Deleau and Alexi Zhukov each recording their first goals of the pre-season. Alexandre Monarque had scored for a second straight game, while Michael Kucherawy added two goals.

Tommy Holtby and Makaio Van Tassel each recorded two assists as the Bandits had 10 different players register at least one point.

Okotoks got goals from Henry Sampair, Ben Deacon and Domenico Clarizio. The Oilers never cut the deficit to fewer than three in that contest.

Brooks split its goaltending duties in Friday’s win.

Beaunoyer had made his first appearance for the Bandits, stopping 12 of 13 shots. Yundi Cai stopped 17 of 19 shots.

Brooks now prepares for its regular-season opener Friday, Sept. 18, against the Blackfalds Bulldogs.

The Bandits enter the regular season as the defending back-to-back British Columbia Junior Hockey League champions.

by Jesse Gill

Bandits split final pre-season games with Okotoks

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