Salmon Arm, BC – The Brooks Bandits defeated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 6–2 on Friday night, extending their winning streak to ten games. With the victory, the Bandits have clinched the Interior East Division title and will face the Spruce Grove Saints in the opening round of the playoffs.
Mathis Dufour opened the scoring for Brooks with a point shot that floated off the post and in at 3:35. He added a second just minutes later, as his shot deflected off a Silverbacks skate and found the back of the net at 7:32. Koen Senft brought Salmon Arm within one at 8:40, but Alexei Zhukov responded shortly after, wiring a shot from the left circle just after a Bandits power play expired at 12:20 to restore a two-goal lead heading into the first intermission.
Brooks extended its lead in the second period when Jack Good capitalized on a Jack Rosensteel shot that missed the net, collecting the puck and backhanding it into the top corner to make it 4–1. Later in the frame, Liam Fitzpatrick found space in the low slot during a scramble and snapped a shot into the top corner at 7:36. Cole Longacre answered for Salmon Arm at 14:25, cutting the deficit to three heading into the third.
Rosensteel added the lone goal of the final period at 5:38, finishing off a strong passing play from Good.
The Bandits have now won ten straight games, including nine consecutive road victories. They sit four points ahead of the Blackfalds Bulldogs with one game remaining in the regular season.
Brooks will wrap up the regular season at Rogers Rink, visiting the Silverbacks for the fourth and final meeting between the two teams.
