Cranbrook, BC (January 3, 2025) – Despite a third period two-goal rally, the Brooks Bandits first road game of 2025 ended in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Cranbrook Bucks on Friday at Western Financial Place.
Bandits goaltender Chris Quizi made 40 saves, allowing no goals in the 3rd period or 10 minute overtime, allowing the Bandits to comeback.
In the opening frame, the Bandits took an early penalty, but the number one ranked penalty kill in the league stayed hot. Shortly later, on a breakout pass from forward Nathan Free, centre Caden Drury drove down the left side on a 3-on-1 and gave the drop pass to defenceman Matej Teply who made no mistake and fired the puck blocker side on Bucks starter Jaden Cholette. Just after the media timeout, on the face off, Bucks forward Rasmus Svartstrom scored on the one time shot, five hole on Quizi. Brooks forward Parker Lalonde fired a one time shot and the red light went off, but the goal is waved off as they had inconclusive evidence. Just minutes later, Drury picked a mis-timed pass from Cholette that led to a wrap around tuck to put the Bandits up 2-1.
The Bandits started the 2nd period on a 5-on-3 penalty kill. Quizi made a wonderful cross ice pad save but just moments later, but Bucks forwarrd Jacob Fletcher tied the game up on the one-time shot. Bandits failed to score on their first powerplay of the game and as the penalty ran out, the Bucks broke out on a 2-on-1 and defenceman Bryce Sookro made no mistake shooting the wrist past the glove side of Quizi to take a 3-2 lead. Late in the period, Svartstrom fired home his 2nd goal of the game to double up the Bucks lead to 4-2.
In the third period, the Bandits came out with urgency as forward Parker Lalonde got the Bandits back in track as he scored his 19th goal of the season cutting the deficit to one. Less then 40 seconds later, Brooks forward Michal Liscinsky scored his 3rd of the season to tie the game at four with 14:54 remaining in the period. After chances at both ends, the game was still level after 60 minutes and the Bandits went to overtime for the second straight game.
In the overtime period, both teams had chances, but Quizi for the Bandits stood tall in net keeping his team alive and sending the Bandits into a shootout for the second straight game.
In the shootout, Cooper Pierson took the first shot for the Bandits and hit the left post and out. Svartstrom was the first shooter for the Bucks and Quizi stuck out his right pad to stop him. Lalonde was stopped on the Bandits second attempt with the high wrist shot. Sookrow scored on the Bucks second attempt and Peluso needed to score on the Bandits third shot, but Cholette made the stop to lead the Bucks to a 5-4 shootout victory.
The Bandits are back at home Saturday, January 4, to host the Bucks at the CRA. Game time set for 7 PM.
