Blackfalds, AB (February 17, 2025) – Nathan Free scored a hat trick and had a five-point game, Chris Quizi recorded his first shutout, and the Brooks Bandits won their fourth straight road game, blanking the Blackfalds Bulldogs 6-0 on Monday at Eagle Builders Centre.
Quizi got the nod in goal for his second straight start as he stopped all 20 shots he faced to get the shutout including a penalty shot save to get the win
In the opening frame, the Bandits did not have a shot on target for just over eight minutes until forward Jack Rosensteel fired the top corner wrist shot to make 1-0 on the first shot for the Bandits. Later in the period, Free received a pass from defenceman Ethan Beyer and proceeded to toe drag around the defender and rip the shot in the back of the net to double the Bandits lead. Just over 30 seconds later, Beyer was set up by forward Luke Bibby in the open slot to score his 10th on the season to make it 3-0 Bandits.
In the middle frame, Free quickly added another as he scored the top corner shot with a cross ice feed from forward AJ Lacroix to make it 4-0. Just past the halfway point in the period, Bibby received the open pass in front from Nathan Free on a two-on-one and put it five hole to make it 5-0 Bandits.
In the final period, Free capped off the day as he scored his second hat trick of the year from a Lacroix cross feed pass to make it 6-0 Bandits. Just a few moments later, Blackfalds was awarded a penalty shot that Chris Quizi steered aside to keep the Bulldogs off the board.
The Bandits have back-to-back homes games this weekend, hosting the Bulldogs in a rematch on Friday, February 21st, followed by a date with the Vernon Vipers on Saturday, February 22nd. Both games are at 7:00 pm.
