Brooks, Alberta – The Brooks Bandits delivered some home cookin’ with a 7-3 win against the Okotoks Oilers Friday night at the Centennial Regional Arena. Led by Kamyl Chemrouk and Jack Good’s three point nights, the Bandits scored four goals unanswered after giving up three first period goals.
Forward Kamyl Chemrouk (Montreal, QC) had two goals in second game of the preseasob. Forward Jack Good posted a goal and two assists including the seventh and final goal for the Bandits of the night.
The Oilers struck first as Hunter Sawka converted on a shorthanded breakaway. It didn’t take long for the Bandits to respond. On the powerplay, defenceman Dante Siciliano (Whitby, ON) converted on a wide open cage after prolonged zone time. A little over two minutes later, Chemrouk converted on his first goal with the club.
It didn’t take long for other Bandits to join the point party as forward Dmitrijs Delevka (Riga, LAT) scored at 12:27 of the first period, lasering a wrist shot destined for the corner of the net. After the Bandits took a 3-1 lead, the Oilers didn’t wait long to fight back and tied it up with two goals in succession. Holden Pajor (16:08 of the first) and Jacob Goudreau (16:57) buried two quick goals.
Forward Jeremiah Mundy (St. Gallen, SUI) scored at 17:51 of the first period to make it 4-3. He almost had two lamp lighters as he rung one of the crossbar in the third period. He has goals in back to back games, both of those games being against the Oilers.
It was a quiet second period for the first 15 or so minutes until Chemrouk struck again for his second of the game to extend the lead to two. Forward Jack Rosensteel (Greensburg, PA) scored just over a minute later (17:33) and put the game out of reach with a 6-3 lead heading into the third.
Forward Jack Good (Pickering, ON) scored the third period’s lone goal at 4:04 of the frame to put the cherry on top of a convincing 7-3 win.
Goaltender Zach Zahara (Rockyview, AB) was a bright spot for the team, making 18 saves.
“Your goaltender has to be your best penalty killer,” said Bandits assistant coach Cole McCaig. “He made a couple big saves in the first period and it allowed our guys to rally behind him.”
While it may not pop off the stat sheet, Zahara’s 18 saves on 21 shots were key to keeping the Oilers at bay. He pitched a shutout over the last 40 minutes of play.
The Bandits are right back in action tomorrow for a third date against the Oilers in Okotoks. Puck drop is at 7:05 at the Viking Rentals Arena.
