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Penticton holds early lead, downs Bandits 4-2 in exhibition

Sep 3, 2017 | 12:06 PM

BROOKS, AB – The Brooks Bandits (0-3) fought another high-tempo, close battle with the visiting Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) on Saturday afternoon at the Centennial Regional Arena, but despite once again outshooting their opponents, fell 4-2 to cap off the weekend interleague set.

The Vees scored early an often, gaining a 2-0 lead before the game was three minutes old. First, a Luke Reid point shot was blocked, but came to the end wall where Jared Nash flung it to the side of the net for a quick Lukas Sillinger wrister past Mitch Benson (Windsor, ON). A point shot by Cassidy Bowes then awkwardly bounced off Benson, up in the air, and rolled into the net behind him to double the lead.

The Vees then made it 3-0 with a point shot by Ryan O’Connell, before the Bandits began to swing the momentum. Brooks got on the board when Simon Boyko at the end boards (Mississauga, ON) fed Nolan Thompson at the left circle. His cross-ice pace came to Luc Salem (Los Angeles, CA) for a one-timer that caught goalie Adam Scheel, bounced to the left side of the net, and lay there for Boyko to swat home.

A scoreless second period saw Brooks outshoot the Vees 15-9, but it took until the third for the team to pull to within one when Dennis Cesana (Providence, RI) slapped home the second Bandit marker from the right circle off the rush.

But the comeback fell just short when Tyler Carangelo (Hamden, CT) was called for a late cross-checking penalty after shoving a Penticton player while battling for position. The Vees found Taylor Ward open in front shortly thereafter for a backhand goal, the only one backup goalie Andrew Farrier (Montreal, PQ) allowed, to notch the 4-2 final score.

The Bandits next head to Okotoks for their first road pre-season game of the 2017 campaign, taking on the Okotoks Oilers for a 4:30 PM puck drop.