Brooks, Alberta – The Brooks Bandits are set to host the Cranbrook Bucks for Games 1 and 2 at the Centennial Regional Arena. Games 3, 4 and 5 will be played at Western Financial Place, followed by Games 6 and 7 back at the CRA. Games 5, 6 and 7 will be played only if necessary.
The Bandits took the season series over the Bucks 3-1, with their only loss coming in the final matchup, a 3-2 overtime decision.
Zach Zahara made just one start against Cranbrook this season, earning the win in a 10-2 victory in early October. Lincoln Molind started the other three games.
Francois De Villiers recorded a hat trick against Cranbrook in a 10-2 win, Isaac Johnson added two goals and an assist against Cranbrook on Nov. 22 in a 5-2 win, and Jack Good, Alexei Zhukov and Lazarus Ebanoidze all posted multi-point efforts against Cranbrook on Dec. 13 in a 6-2 win.
Cranbrook entered the playoffs as the final team to qualify, but went on to defeat the West Kelowna Warriors in five games and the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in seven.
“If you look at the numbers, they were the last team to clinch a playoff spot, but clearly they have been doing something right,” said forward Nico Addy. “We can’t focus on the numbers anymore. We just have to come in, do our job, do our homework on the team and play our game. If we do that, I don’t think any team in this league has a chance against us.”
Adam Csabi leads the club in playoff scoring with 10 points in 12 games, while Konstantin Hutzinger leads the team in goals with eight.
The Bandits are coming off a hard-fought seven-game series against the Sherwood Park Crusaders, winning the final two games to close it out last Tuesday. Addy scored four goals in the series and recorded points in five of the seven games.
“I think I have been getting to the right spots and using my shot more. That is something I can do better than most,” Addy said. “My confidence has been good and I want to keep it going that way.”
Game 7 was the first of Addy’s hockey career.
“It was pretty cool to play in. The fans were great and we came in and did our job,” Addy said. “That is how it should have gone earlier in the series.”
The Bandits did just that, earning a decisive 6-1 victory.
The winner of this series will play the winner of the Nanaimo Clippers and the Prince George Spruce Kings for a chance to win the BCHL Cup.
All games against the Bucks are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on New Country 105.7 and FloHockey.
