LEENDERS EARNS 4-0 SHUTOUT WIN TO GIVE BULLDOGS EAST DIVISION CROWN
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. In the most consequential game of the season, the Brantford Bulldogs, sitting 1st in the Eastern Conference, met the Kingston Frontenacs, sitting 3rd in the Eastern Conference and just one point back of the Bulldogs, for the sixth and final time at Slush Puppie Place on Friday night.
The Bulldogs received a significant boost the lineup with captain Patrick Thomas returning from the illness that kept him out of Wednesday night’s game, re-assembling the top line for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs got out to the lead early with Noah Nelson sealing off a Kingston exit on the left side and playing deep for Calvin Crombie who drove through the left circle and set the puck into the crease for Dylan Tsherna to capture on the right post and slam into the back of the Kingston net past Charlie Schenkel for his 3rd of the season and a 1-0 Bulldogs lead at 4:50. Ryerson Leenders stopped all nine he faced in the opening frame, with a couple tight jam plays at the post and a glove save through a screen from the blueline. Late in the period after Ben Pickell was taken to the penalty box for cross-checking a Bulldogs defenseman into Ryerson Leenders, the power-play went to work. Off the faceoff, Tomas Hamara laid it back to the left point for Jake O’Brien who quickly shuttled the puck along to Nick Lardis in the right circle. With the entire building expecting a shot, Lardis strode through the circle and delivered a pass to the right post for Marek Vanacker who handeled the hot feed and slammed it through Schenkel for his 24th of the season and a 2-0 Bulldogs lead at 18:16 the team held into the intermission.
The middle frame opened the same as the first, with the Bulldogs recording an early marker to extend the lead. Off the right point, Lucas Moore swung the puck for Nick Lardis who didn’t get the look he wanted to the front of the net but was able to get the puck back to Niko Krmpotic at the left point who settled it and launched a wrist shot through a pile in the slot and eluded Charlie Schenkel to record his 1st Ontario Hockey League goal at 5:27 to give the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead. Ryerson Leenders took center stage after that with a brilliant arm stop, waiving an in tight flip from Jacob Battaliga aside and then making a tremendous post to post stop to deny Battaglia again on the power-play on a cross-ice feed from Tuomas Uronen and keep the Bulldogs lead at 3-0. At 10:17 of the second period the Bulldogs bumped the lead again. Cole Brown sent Patrick Thomas over the blueline looking initially for a 2-on-1 with Nick Lardis that was erased. Thomas turned back out high keeping possession, pausing at the top of the slot and laying it on for a charging Adam Jiricek who sprinted to the left side, driving low and turning to the net front, deking past a Fronts defender, faking to his backhand and outwaiting a sprawling Schenkel to tuck the puck past his pad on his forehand to finish an incredible move for his 4th of the season and 4-0 Bulldogs lead.
The final frame marked history for the Bulldogs, with Ryerson Leenders stopping all 12 he faced, including a brilliant late stop slamming pad to post to deny Matthew Soto at the side of the Brantford net, as part of the 30 saves he made in the game to earn the 4-0 shutout, his first as a Brantford Bulldogs. With the victory, the Brantford Bulldogs secure the East Division Championship and the top seed in the Eastern Conference, giving the team home ice advantage for the first three rounds.
The Brantford Bulldogs return home as 2025 OHL East Division Champions to host the Ottawa 67’s in their final regular season game. The festivities begin in the BFD Outdoor District at 11:30am with the Bulldogs hosting their OA ceremony, Brett Kissel singing the national anthem and puck drop coming just after 2:00pm!
