SHERWOOD PARK, AB (April 6, 2024) – Despite outshooting the opposition 36-32, the Brooks Bandits 2023-24 Regular Season ended with a 6-3 setback to the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Saturday at the Randy Rosen Rink.
Liam Davidson, Parker Lalonde and Nick Peluso scored the Brooks goals, while Sam Scopa made 26 saves in the Bandits first regulation loss in 16 consecutive games since February 10th.
Brooks went 58-6-1 during the 2023-24 season, 17-2-1 in the BCHL, setting a team record for most wins in a season, surpassing the 57 set by the 2018-19 team. They finished 1st in the BCHL Alberta Division.
Sherwood Park opened the scoring at 4:36 of the 1st, as forward Noah Wills tapped in a backdoor pass from Hunter Price. The Crusaders doubled the lead at 9:56, as Cole Assailly scored from long range. Shots were 12-10 Brooks in the period.
The Bandits solved Crusaders goaltender Erick Roest at 13:49 of the 2nd, as defenceman Liam Davidson (Trondheim, NOR) fired a point shot into the Crusaders net to cut the lead to 2-1. But Sherwood Park scored back-to-back goals, with Logan Hauer scoring off the rush at 16:55 to make it 3-1, while Ryder Ringor cleaned up a loose puck on a delayed Bandits penalty at 18:31 to make it 4-1. Bandits forward Parker Lalonde (Aberdeen, SK) poked in a Caelan Fitzpatrick (Moose Jaw, SK) pass at 19:42 on the powerplay to cut the lead to 4-2.
Sherwood Park extended the lead to 5-2 at 3:59 of the 3rd, as Adam Raesler scored from the netfront on the powerplay. Bandits forward Nick Peluso (Rochester, NY) scored his third goal in as many games at 8:30, shooting post and in from the slot to make it a 5-3 game. But Crusaders defenceman Cade Christenson made it 6-3 at 11:29 on a shot from the left circle.
The Bandits begin their Rogers BCHL Playoffs on Friday, April 19th when they host Game 1 of the Alberta Division Semifinal at the Centennial Regional Arena, with their opponent being the winner of the Okotoks Oilers/Spruce Grove Saints first round series that begins April 10th. The Crusaders will face the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the other Alberta Semifinal.
Bandits Playoff Packages are on sale, call 403-501-0122 for more information.
