Jon Maillet For the Journal The Sarnia Legionnaires had goals from six different players in a wild 9-7 win over the Brantford Bandits Thursday night at the Pat Stapleton Arena.
Jon Maillet
For the Journal
The Sarnia Legionnaires had goals from six different players in a wild 9-7 win over the Brantford Bandits Thursday night at the Pat Stapleton Arena.
Cameron Graham, Austin Harper, Ryan Richardson, Jimmy Monks and Anthony Tudino all had three points each, while goalie Jack Martin made 28 saves in the win.
The Bandits got out to a quick start, scoring just 11 seconds into the first with Ezra Fischer’s fourth of the season as the Bandits took an early 1-0 lead.
The teams would trade goals from there — Tudino’s eighth of the season came less than two minutes later, tying the game at 1-1 before the Bandits stole the lead back just 48 seconds later on Will Mathers’ second of the year.
Lucas Durham would pull the Legionnaires even with his third of the season midway into the opening period, however, the Bandits would add another before the end of the period. Tyson Fervy’s fifth put Brantford out front 3-2 after 1.
In the second period, it would be the Legionnaires’ turn to get an early goal; Ty Moffat found the back of the net just nine seconds into the second, tying the game 3-3.
Brantford would score back-to-back goals to take a 5-3 lead. Matthew Humphrey scored his second at the 4:01 mark, while Fischer scored his second of the game, and fifth of the season midway through the middle period.
Colton Graham however, would cut the Brantford lead to 5-4 a minute later with his second of the season.
Once again though, Brantford would answer quickly as Humphrey scored his second of the game to restore the tw- goal lead, less than two minutes later. The Bandits now held a 6-4 lead in the second period.
With 3:12 left in the middle frame, Owen Brown would bring Sarnia within a goal; his second of the year cut the Brantford lead to 6-5.
With the second period coming to an end, the Legionnaires would once again erase a Bandit lead as Austin Harper would score the only powerplay goal of the game. Harper’s fourth of the season came with just 39 seconds left in the period, bringing the teams even at 6-6 heading into the third period.
Things took a bit longer to get going in the third, after back to back periods with a goal in the first minute, neither team would score until the 16:23 mark of the final period.
Harper scored his second of the game, lifting Sania to 7-6 lead, giving Harper five goals now on the season.
The Legionnaires wasted no time in extending that lead as Jimmy Monks scored his first career GOJHL goal just seven seconds later to put Sarnia ahead 8-6.
In the dying minutes, the Bandits would cut the Legionnaires lead to 8-7 on Charlie Pys second of the season, but that would be as close as they’d come.
Monks would ice it with an empty netter in the final minute, his second of the season and game for a 9-7 final score.
With the win, Sarnia improves their record to 7-8-1-0, and will head out on the road for another inter conference game this Sunday, as they take on the Midwest leading Elmira Sugar Kings.
Sugar Kings are 14-4-0-1 on the season, 5-4-0-0 while at home.
Puck drops at 7pm at the Dan Snyder Memorial Arena Sunday night.
