Brooks Bandits split games in opening weekend

Off-season acquisition Makaio Van Tassel scored the remaining Brooks goal on a penalty shot.

Van Tassel, acquired from the Langley Rivermen, had four goals in the two weekend games, including two goals on penalty shots, a power-play goal, and a short-handed tally.

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READ: Brooks Bandits acquire forward Van Tassel from Langley Rivermen (June 19, 2026)

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Goaltender Emile Beaunoyer stopped 26 of 28 shots to earn his first win in net for the Bandits.

The Bandits’ special teams were strong Saturday, scoring twice on the power play and going a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.

Matthew Hikida and Eli Molde scored for Okotoks. The Oilers tied the game twice but never led.

On Friday, the Bandits opened their season on the road with a 6-4 loss to the Blackfalds Bulldogs.

Van Tassel notched a hat trick in his Brooks debut, starting with a first-period goal off a cross-ice pass from Dmitrijs Dilevka and following up with a second-period penalty shot conversion after being tripped on a breakaway. He completed the hat trick in the third period.

Blackfalds took control in the final frame, with Leon Brunn scoring twice in under a minute to break a 3-3 tie before Antoine Gauthier added an empty-netter to secure the win for the Bulldogs.

Jeremy Leroux also scored for Brooks, while Alexei Zhukov, Dilevka, and Deleau each registered multi-assist games for the Bandits.

The Bandits return to home ice next weekend for a two-game homestand, hosting the Spruce Grove Saints on Friday and the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Saturday.

by Jesse Gill

Brooks Bandits split games in opening weekend

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