Dennis, Malhotra & Paquette Combine to Lead Bulldogs in Game 4
Published on April 28, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
BARRIE, ONTARIO. Following their victory in Game 3 to take back home ice advantage in their Eastern Conference Final, the Brantford Bulldogs entered Game 4 on Thursday night at Sadlon Arena looking for much the same effort as they looked to take a 3-1 stranglehold on the series.
The Bulldogs got on the front foot early in the game, at 4:41, Edison Engle wrapped the puck around the end boards where Caleb Malhotra forced an end wall scrum in the offensive zone with multiple Colts defenders. Charlie Paquette pulled the puck from the pile and dealt it to the low slot where Cooper Dennis darted through to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead on his 3rd of the playoffs. Ryerson Leenders picked up where he left off in Game 3, denying a Kashawn Aitcheson shot that was deflected on the way to the net to keep the Bulldogs ahead. The lead bubbled on the power-play at 10:25, Adam Jiricek played low for Marek Vanacker who kept the puck through a battle and set it for Adam Benak in the right circle. Benak walked through the circle to the hashmarks before darting a shot over Hrebik for his 3rd of the postseason and a 2-0 Bulldogs lead. The lead was built further under a minute later with Caleb Malhotra forcing an errant pass from Kashawn Aitcheson in the offensive zone. Cooper Dennis collected the puck and set it low for Malhotra who drew Hrebik in before sending it across the face of goal to Charlie Paquette who again went over top of a sprawling Hrebik to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead at 11:17. Before the period was out, Ryerson Leenders got some help on the PK with Adam Jiricek knocking a rolling puck away from the goal line while Zack Sandhu put body on the line to block an Aitcheson one- timer, keeping the Bulldogs up by the 3-0 mark through 20 minutes.
Opening the middle frame with a flurry, the Bulldogs line of Parker Holmes, Dylan Tsherna & Ryder Boulton nearly counted with Holmes finding Boulton in the left circle on a shot that Ben Hrebik just got enough of to turn aside. From there a tough moment for the Bulldogs as two penalties were called on the same play with Zack Sandhu being called for holding while Luca Testa was nabbed by the back official for hooking. On the 5-on-3 the Colts drew one back at the midway point with Cole Beaudoin and Kashawn Aitcheson combining to set Emil Hemming in the left circle for a shot that just beat Ryerson Leenders coming across to pull the Colts to within a pair at 5:43. The Bulldogs re-established their three goal lead at 15:17, when Vladimir Dravecky won a pair of strength battles along the left-wing boards to pull the puck forward and lay it on to Cooper Dennis flying into the offensive zone where he darted a shot over the pad and below the glove of Ben Hrebik for his 2nd of the game & 4th of the post-season to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead at 15:17. After another successful Bulldogs penalty kill late in the period, Charlie Paquette would avenge his penalty call at 19:39. Caleb Malhotra rolled the puck forward out of the Bulldogs zone where Paquette flew past Evan Passmore to collect it off the right side, turning to the front of the net, stretching Hrebik across his crease and tucking it in at the post for his 3rd of the playoffs at 19:39 and a 5-1 lead through 40 minutes.
Control continued into the third period for the Bulldogs, with Arvin Jaswal taking over between the pipes for the Colts in the final frame. On the power-play at 7:07, Adam Jiricek and Adam Benak exchanged out high before finding Caleb Malhotra in the right circle for a one-timer and his 11th of the playoffs and 4th point of the night to make it a 6-1 game and assure the Bulldogs the 3-1 series lead.
The Brantford Bulldogs will return to action on Thursday night, April 30th hosting Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final at TD Civic Centre with a 7:00pm start and a chance to win the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2026
- Dennis, Malhotra & Paquette Combine to Lead Bulldogs in Game 4 - Brantford Bulldogs
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- Spitfires' Carson Woodall Named OHL Humanitarian of the Year - Windsor Spitfires
- Spitfires' Carson Woodall Named OHL Humanitarian of the Year - OHL
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