SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
The Brooks Bandits defeated the Penticton Vees 4-1 on Friday and the Trail Smoke Eaters 5-4 in overtime on Sunday in the Alberta-based team’s first two true BCHL matches at the Centennial Regional Arena.
The Bandits have hosted BC teams since they entered the British Columbia League in February, but the weekend marked the first two matches for Brooks as full-fledged members of the BCHL.
The Vees started their September road trip in Alberta where they defeated Spruce Grove and Sherwood Park, lost to Brooks on Friday and then put another W in their column on Saturday after defeating Blackfalds Bulldogs 4-1.
Trail Smoke Eaters began their Alberta tour on Friday and defeated Spruce Grove 7-2, lost 6-3 to the Sherwood Park Crusaders and then lost in overtime to Brooks on Sunday.
Attendance at the weekend games was just over 1,500 on Saturday and just over 1,700 on Sunday afternoon.
On Friday the first two periods saw a lot of defensive hockey with both sides trying to capitalize on the other team’s minor errors as the Bandits managed to do in the first period. With one Vee-man in the box for a minor penalty, Bandits Liam Fitzpatrick scored a shorthanded goal, his first of the season.
No goals were scored in the second period but five minutes into the final period it was Nick Peluso who found the back of the net, followed by Quinn McCall less than four minutes later which was followed by the Vees lone goal.
Parker Lalonde who last was named a BCHL Star of the Week for his six points in two games finished Saturday’s match with the empty netter to defeat the Vees 4-1.
Against Trail on Sunday, Lalonde once again stood out with a goal in the third and the unassisted overtime goal.
Davide Patella, with a shorthanded goal and Nathan Free had the only goals in the first period to give the Bandits a 2-0 lead but by the end of the second period the score was tied at three a side thanks to a trio of Trail goals and one Nick Peluso powerplay goal and in the final period Lalonde scored his first goal of the game but Trail found their way to the back of the net to move the game into OT.
In the overtime, rookie goalie Mikus Vecvanags stopped a Trail two-on-one opportunity giving the Bandits their own opportunity.
Lalonde stole the puck in his zone, broke out and buried the puck at the three minute mark to give the Bandits their fourth win.
Lalonde with his pair of goals and Nathan Free with a pair of assists, earned both players two of the game’s three stars.
