Bandits rolling over the competition

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This article was published 15/05/2023 (886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — If there is anyone capable of stopping the Brooks Bandits from winning their third consecutive national junior A hockey championship, it’s not really clear which team that will be.

On Monday afternoon, the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions were dishing out their brand of attacking hockey again as they thrashed the Timmins Rock 9-0 for their third consecutive preliminary round victory on their way to top spot in Group A at the Centennial Cup.

Brooks has outscored its opponents 21-3 so far with the help of a talented crew of Manitobans, including left-winger Hunter Wallace of Oak Lake and a trio of Winnipeggers — centre Jordan Hughesman and blue-liners Hughie Hooker and Sam Court.

The Bandits, led by GM and head coach Ryan Papaioannou, have now won 15 consecutive games at the nationals while outscoring their opponents 91-27 over that span.

“I think it’s pretty special,” said Court, a 19-year-old who drew an assist on Wallace’s third-period marker against the Rock. “Honestly, having a coach like Pap, it’s been awesome learning every day from a guy like that. It’s been special throughout the whole year. We have such a great group of guys and the legacy, it’s kind of built over the last couple of years.”

Papaioannou said he doesn’t need to go to extraordinary lengths to motivate his team at nationals.

“I think our guys are so excited to be here and I think we respect the level of competition — that we’re playing a (league) champion every night — and I don’t think there’s much pushing at this time,” said Papaioannou, who is in his 14th season at the helm. “I think it means enough and the sacrifices all these guys have made, they’re just here to go to work and do business.”

Added Hughesman: “We have a really driven group. We want to win by as much as we can each game and we don’t really give up here. Our coaches really don’t have much letup, so we try to play hard every shift, no matter what the score is.”

Brooks is easily the fastest team at the national tournament and by most subjective measures, also the most talented.

Thirteen players dressing for Monday’s game have NCAA scholarship commitments.

An additional five players not dressed, including injured captain Dario Beljo, are also destined for the U.S. schools while four players — right-winger Aiden Fink, centre Hudson Malinowski, defenders Court and Aiden Celebrini — are ranked prospects by NHL Central Scouting for the 2023 draft.

“I think in defensively he’s been sound,” said Papaioannou of Court’s play here at Stride Place. “Offensively he’s created. He’s been good on the power play and I think that’s kind of his thing — he’s just got to do a little bit of everything for the style of player he is.”

Wallace, a member of Brooks’ top unit, and Hughesman, who centres the third line, are heading to Merrimack College while Court rescinded a commitment to New Hampshire earlier this year and is shopping for a new college destination.

“Over the last couple months I’ve visited a couple of schools, talked to lots of schools on the phone, but now I kinda really wanted to focus on just playing hockey and just playing for Brooks,” said Court, who led all AJHL defenceman with 72 points in 52 regular-season games in 2022-23. “I wanted put things away for a little bit… But I’m planning on going on a couple of visits after the season and decide then.”

Hughesman, who joined the Bandits after starting the season with the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, made the move from wing to centre after Beljo broke his right hand in the post-season.

“It was kind of a necessity,” said Papaioannou. “We don’t really have anybody else who takes faceoffs well. He was taking faceoffs on the penalty kill already so it’s just kind of natural for him to slide into the middle. He’s a smart player. He’s got a really good stick and so it’s just a natural fit for him to play centre and he’s filled in admirably. I think when we do get Beljo back later in the week, he will probably stay at centre.”

Hughesman, who scored his first goal of the tournament Monday and now has five points in three games, said his club’s relentless attacking style is nutured every day in practice.

“I definitely say the coach has kind of (instilled) that into our players here,” said Hughesman. “Even in practice, just finishing every play possible. Let’s say you miss a wide open — you’ve got to go get it and put it in — and that kind of translates to our games. When you have an open net, you bear down and put it in.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14