NEWS

WESTERN CANADA CUP

Media Update

Release date: Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Game No. 8

NHL Draft Prospect Makar Spearheads the offense, as Brooks Thumps Portage 5-0

By: Fraser Rodgers

PENTICTON, B.C. – The Brooks Bandits (4-0-0) flexed their offensive might and kept their perfect record intact at the Western Canada Cup, beating the Portage Terriers (1-2-0) 5-0 Wednesday night at the SOEC.

Highly touted NHL draft prospect Cale Makar scored twice and had a game-high three points to pace the Brooks attack. The Bandits also got goals from Ty Mappin, Nick Prkusic and Conner Jean, as the clinched first overall and a spot in Saturday’s WCC Final.

Mitch Benson picked up his first shutout of the tournament, with an efficient 19-save performance in goal, as the Bandits netminder has now only conceded four goals in as many games.

Portage dropped their second in a row after winning their tournament opener over the Chilliwack Chiefs (2-1-0) on Sunday, and stay at three points, tied with the Penticton Vees (1-1-1) in the round-robin standings. The Terriers face the Vees Thursday night in the round-robin finale, with a spot into Saturday’s semi-final at stake.

After some early pressure from the Terriers it was in fact the Bandits opening the scoring midway through the opening frame, capitalizing on a turnover in the Portage end. Oliver Chau intercepted a wayward pass at the Terriers’ blue-line, before firing a cross-ice pass on the tape of Ty Mappin for the tap-in at 12:32. After that it was the Bandits’ special teams taking over.

First, it was the penalty-kill, not the power-play, manufacturing the Bandits second goal. Nick Prkusic took the puck away along the boards in his own end, before chugging down to the other end, finishing the rush off by firing a laser from the slot over Brock Aiken’s glove at 18:48.

The power-play, and more specifically Cale Makar, took over in the second period for Brooks. It started with Makar setting up the Bandits’ third goal, dishing out from behind the net to Jean who quickly roofed it over Aiken’s glove just 79-seconds into the frame. Makar than turned shooter and it was a goal no one will soon forget.

On another Bandits power-play, Makar skated into a one-timer at the right-circle that he blew past Aiken’s shoulder at 11:48. The shot was so hard from Makar, that the puck ended up wedged into the mesh of the net; Makar scoring his first of two in the period.

The dynamic Brooks’ defenceman scored again on the power-play to put his team out ahead 5-0. Makar slipped down from the blue-line and found a soft spot in coverage and Ty Mappin threaded the needle on a pass down to the crease, and Makar tucked it around a fallen Aiken in the Terriers’ crease to make it 5-0 at 13:46.

The Bandits only conceded 10 shots over the final 40-minutes, including just six in the third period, as they now look to win their first ever WCC championship Saturday night.

Final Score: 5-0 Bandits.

Lumping in the AJHL playoffs, Wednesday was the fifth playoff shutout for Benson and the Bandits. Makar leads all defencemen in scoring at the WCC with three goals and six points, three points clear of the next best defenceman.

Portage is right back at it Thursday, battling the hosts Penticton Vees in the final day of round-robin action at the 2017 Western Canada Cup, presented by Sun Life Financial. Each team needs just one point to clinch a spot in Saturday’s semi-final.

All Western Canada Cup contests will be streamed live online, or on demand, at HockeyTV.com.