PHOTO: James Maclennan
The Brooks Bandits delivered a dominant performance, erupting for five goals in the second period en route to a convincing 7–2 victory over the Spruce Grove Saints.
Brooks opened the scoring late in the first period when Dante Siciliano struck at 11:50, finishing a setup from Jack Rosensteel and Leon Bussmann to give the Bandits a 1–0 lead after one. Despite being outshot 11–5 in the opening frame, Spruce Grove stayed within striking distance.
The game broke wide open in the second period. The Saints briefly tied it just 1:11 in on a goal by Chris Battaini, but Brooks quickly took over. Alexei Zhukov restored the lead on the power play, sparking a relentless stretch that saw the Bandits score five times in the period.
Dante Siciliano led the charge with a natural hat trick in the frame, while Dmitrijs Dilevka added a goal and multiple assists. Harry Ahlberg capped the outburst with a goal just seconds after Siciliano’s third, chasing Saints starter Finn Marshall from the net. By the end of the period, Brooks had built a commanding 6–2 lead.
In the third, the Bandits stayed in control, outshooting Spruce Grove and adding one more goal from Dmitrijs Dilevka at 8:03 to seal the 7–2 final.
Siciliano finished with a standout four-point night (3 goals, 1 assist), earning first star honors. Dilevka (2 goals, 2 assists) and Isaac Johnson (3 assists) also had big performances in a balanced offensive effort that saw Brooks generate 41 shots.
Special teams played a role, with Brooks going 2-for-6 on the power play, while Spruce Grove managed one goal on six opportunities.
In goal, Zach Zahara made 24 saves on 26 shots for the win, steadying the Bandits after a brief push from the Saints early in the second.
