THOMAS STRIKES FOR 2ND STRAIGHT OT WINNER; LARDIS HITS 200 POINTS
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Counting the days and games until Christmas time, the Brantford Bulldogs hit home ice after a pair on the road to host the Barrie Colts on Friday night. The Bulldogs entered the evening coming off a 6-5 overtime over the Brampton Steelheads, while the Colts made their way to the Civic Centre riding a 4-game win streak. The Bulldogs happily welcomed Adam Jiricek back to the lineup after being out of the lineup since November 6th due to injury. The St. Louis Blues 1st round selection in 2024 started the game alongside Owen Protz on the blueline in his return.
The opening period was all about the netminders, setting the tone early Ryerson Leenders for the Bulldogs and Ben Hrebik for the Colts put on a show in the opening 20, with Leenders denying all 11 he faced while Hrebik turned aside 13. The period wasn’t without it’s high points however, Tomas Hamara’s point blast on the power-play struck iron, while Ryerson Leenders had to reach out and nab a Beau Jelsma left-wing drive on an odd man rush for the Colts. While the game turned physical with Owen Protz lining up Kashawn Aitcheson for a collision that registered on the Richter scale between the two powerhouse defensemen.
Brantford controlled the middle frame, firing 23 shots to Ben Hrebik and the Colts netminder responded for his team stopping all but one of the Bulldogs efforts. Patrick Thomas bolted up the left-wing side and cut middle just over the Barrie blueline with Adam Jiricek and Nick Lardis joining in the 3-on-2. Thomas laid the puck in the wheelhouse for Jiricek with speed but the defensemen, who had everyone on the ice bought into a shot, delivered a perfect pass to the left circle for Nick Lardis who ripped home his 26th of the season at 14:23 to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead and earn Adam Jiricek his first OHL point in the process. With Ryerson Leenders stopping all 8 shots that came his way in the frame, the Bulldogs went down the tunnel after 40 minutes holding a hard fought 1-0 lead.
Leenders had his turn to take center stage in the third period with the Colts driving twelve shots to his goal. With the Colts piling up the pressure, Leenders made a candidate for save of the year on Beau Jelsma in front of the Brantford net. After a poke-check was eluded, the Colts forward darted around Leenders trying to beat the Bulldogs goaltender back to the post where the sprawling netminder extended his right leg padding away a backhand that looked destined for the empty net stunning the Brantford crowd. The Colts struck moments later. At 18:04, with Bulldogs defenseman Tomas Hamara & Bulldogs goaltender Ryerson Leenders each without a stick, Dalyn Wakely fed Kashawn Aitcheson just to the slot side of the top of the right circle, recognizing the goaltender without his stick, Aitcheson shot five-hole, squeezing it through Leenders and in for his 10th of the season, tying the game 1-1.
For the second straight game, the Bulldogs hit the extra session, and the result was exactly the same as the first. Off the opening drop of the puck, Patrick Thomas guided the puck back to Tomas Hamara for possession. Swinging with speed Nick Lardis collected from Hamara behind the Bulldogs goal and rocketed up the left-wing side, beating his defender Lardis slid the puck right for Patrick Thomas, weaving his was cross ice. As the Bulldogs captain moved back left he out waited Hrebik going down to the ice and sent a dart to the top right corner for his 2nd straight overtime winning goal and 11th marker of the season with Nick Lardis earning his 200th career OHL point with the assist.
The Brantford Bulldogs continue their three-game pre-holiday homestand on Sunday, December 15th, hosting the Kingston Frontenacs in the annual Teddy Toss Game with puck drop at 2:00pm.
