By Tyler King - Brooks Bandits

Offensive breakthrough powers Bandits to 6-2 exhibition win in Okotoks

Sep 4, 2017 | 8:24 PM

OKOTOKS, AB – The Brooks Bandits (1-3) found a needed offensive spark on Monday, doubing their pre-season goal total with a six-goal outburst and 6-2 win over the host Okotoks Oilers for their first win of the exhibition campaign.

Goals from Tyler Vanuden twice, Ocean and Orca Wiesblatt, Justin Ross, and Simon Boyko gave the Bandits as many goals as they had scored in their first three pre-season games combined.

Vanuden opened the scoring 7:57 into the game on a shot from the slot, and Ocean Wiesblatt doubled the lead just under five minutes later, sweeping a shot home from the left side of the Oiler net. After a sizeable Oiler advantage in shots early, the Bandits tied the shot count 12-12 in the opening frame, before outshooting the Oilers 14-8 in the middle frame.

That second period saw Bandit goalie Andrew Farrier complete a shutout performance through half of the game, while Brooks added four more goals. Justin Ross scored at 8:14, and less than two minutes later Vanuden had his second of the game. Orca Wiesblatt tapped one in backdoor on the power play at 15:57 to make it 5-0, before Boyko completed the scoring with a shot from the top of the crease with 3:15 left.

In the third, Oiler forward Dylan Holloway was ejected with a match penalty after spearing a player on the Bandits bench. On the ensuing five minute power play, though, the Oilers struck twice shorthanded, with Michael Horon and Reece Soukoroff getting Okotoks on the board.

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It was as close as the home team came though, as the Bandits held the 6-2 lead through to the final buzzer, with final shots reading 36-25 in favour of Brooks.

The Bandits next head to Drumheller for a 7:30 Friday night road matchup before completing their exhibition schedule at home against the same Dragons at 4:00 PM at the Centennial Regional Arena.