If the Brooks Bandits have slipped a step since winning the RBC Cup this past spring, it's news to the Grande Prairie Storm. Bandits looked like the same dominant squad on Saturday, as they dumped the Storm 4-1 at the AJHL Showcase in Spruce Grove.
Bandits never trailed in this one, as they led 1-0 after twenty minutes and 4-0 through two periods of play. Dylan Thudium's goal with just under two minutes left in the third snapped a shutout bid for Michael Fredrick, who stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced. Nick Kulmanovsky was also tested 29 times, making 25 saves.
After scoring twice with the man advantage in their 4-3 win over Drumheller on Friday, the Storm powerplay was once again blanked in this contest. That makes five out of the last six games that Grande Prairie has failed to tally a powerplay marker. The Bandits, meantime, ended up going one for five with the PP.
Storm are now 4-5 on the season. They return home for games Thursday night against Bonnyville and Sunday afternoon versus Whitecourt.
– Story by Don Whiteford of www.PeaceCountry.Sports.com.