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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Crombie Snookers Steelheads in 4-2 Bulldogs Win

January 7, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. The Brantford Bulldogs played host to the Mississauga Steelheads on Sunday afternoon in an Eastern conference battle for the teams' second meeting of the season.

Absences highlighted the pre-game chatter with Patrick Thomas & Tomas Hamara unavailable for the Bulldogs while Porter Martone was a late scratch for the Steelheads. The Bulldogs were quick to get on the scoreboard at 1:26 with Calvin Crombie getting his 8th goal of the season.

Lawson Sherk battled the puck loose behind the Mississauga net for Luca Testa to jam a shot on Ryerson Leenders, the rebound popped up and Crombie made a brilliant transition to knock the puck out of the air with the shaft of his stick and bunt it into the net to put the Bulldogs up 1- 0. The Steelheads knotted the game on a controversial call at 9:55 as Finn Harding's pass of the right half boards to the Bulldogs crease appeared to be kicked into the net by Lucas Karmiris, despite the video evidence, the call was held up on the ice as a goal for Karmiris' 5th of the season tying the game 1-1. As the Bulldogs were driving the Steelheads zone at the end of the frame Noah Van Vliet was knocked off his edge, sliding skate up into the Steelheads net resulting in a hole in the meshing that stops the frame at 1:34 left to play resulting in a slightly earlier intermission than usual. The teams played out the last 94-seconds immediately prior to starting the 2nd period.

The opening half of the middle frame remained quiet with Matteo Drobac and Ryerson Leenders each settled into the game and each showing why they've planted themselves in the top 10 of OHL netminders. At 11:15, the Steelheads took the lead for the first time in the game as Angus MacDonell dove the left side of the zone through the circle on a 3-on-1. Delivering the puck to Luke Misa at the top of the triangle, Misa's shot flickered off the post and into the the net giving the centerman his 15th of the season, allowing the Steelheads a 2-1 lead. At the closing stage of the frame with just 18-seconds on the clock, Ben Bujold won a draw on the Bulldogs attacking right wing side directly behind himself to Nick Lardis in the shooter's lane. Though Lardis' drive was stopped by a sprawling Leenders, Marek Vanacker hopped on the juicy rebound and showed great patience, working the puck around Leenders pad and tucking it into the goal for his 17th of the season tying the game 2-2 through 40 minutes.

The final frame the Bulldogs came out flying trying to put shots on net and challenge Leenders in the Steelheads goal. Nick Lardis created an opportunity on a 3-on-2 sending the puck out to Jake O'Brien on the right wing who looked to set up Ben Bujold, but the puck deflected off the heel of Bujold's stick at the net front. After the Bulldogs turned in a tremendous effort on the penalty kill crossing the midway point of the period, the hosts got back on top. At 10:49, Marek Vanacker's tenacious forecheck forced a turnover in the Steelheads zone to Calvin Crombie.

With the puck on his stick Crombie backed below the goal line looking for an option. The Bulldogs winger fired the puck to the front of the net, deflecting off Angus MacDonell and into the Steelheads net to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead on a beautiful billards shot for Crombie's 2nd of the game and 9th of the season. Luca Testa looked to add to the lead moments later with his backhand attempt striking the elbow between the post and the crossbar and bouncing back out through the crease with the score remaining 3-2. With just under 2-minutes to go the Steelheads pulled Leenders to their bench for the extra attacker but the Bulldogs kept their defensive structure sound and after Jorian Donovan won the puck on the end wall to Ben Bujold, the centerman hit Nick Lardis in neutral ice to drop his 29th of the season into the empty net at 18:33 giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 victory.

The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Friday, January 12, 2024, at home with an East Division matchup against the Ottawa 67's with puck drop at 7PM at the Brantford Civic Center.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2024


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