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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Jake O'Brien Hat-Trick Bumps Slump in 6-3 Bulldogs Win

November 10, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


BRAMPTON, ONTARIO. Closing out the weekend on the road, the Brantford Bulldogs made the short trip up the 403 to CAA Centre for their second visit of the season to meet the Brampton Steelheads.

The opening frame saw David Egorov continue what has been a fantastic start to his season, turning aside nine Steelheads shots. The finest of Egorov's work split early and late with the early portion denying Mason Zebeski with back-to-back shoulder saves from the inside of the left circle and the late portion a spectacular pad stack glove save on Adam Zidlicky from the right circle, bringing an audible awe from the Brampton crowd. The Steelheads managed to crack Egorov in the opening frame in a late 4-on-4 with Owen Protz getting tied up with Finn Harding on the neutral zone boards and the puck being kicked on to Luke Misa creating a 2-on-1 where Misa was able to bullet a shot just under the front crossbar to give the Steelheads a 1-0 at 19:00 that they took down the tunnel through the first period.

Turning the game on its head in the middle frame, the Brantford Bulldogs struck for a trio. At 2:54, Calvin Crombie pulled the puck up ice over the Brampton blueline, delaying long enough for Luca Testa to turn the opportunity into a 2-on-1. Crombie hit Testa through the middle of the ice where Testa turned forehand to backhand to tuck the puck past Jack Ivankovic for his 5th of the season tying the game 1-1. With the Bulldogs on the power-play at 6:13, they weaved a little bit of magic with Jake O'Brien off the left side sending the puck net front for Cole Brown who chipped a pass between his legs to Patrick Thomas at an open back door to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead on his 4th of the season. David Egorov continued his stellar performance in the middle stanza, denying a pair of shorthanded breakaway attempts, forcing a Mason Zebeski shot high over the goal and turning Adam Zidlicky aside on a deke to the net mouth. The Steelheads knotted the game back up through Finn Harding with the defenseman taking an offensive zone rim on the right side, darting middle on his backhand and lifting it over Egorov's shoulder to tie the game 2-2 at 17:54. Before the period was out, the Bulldogs answered right back, on the power-play at 19:12, Patrick Thomas saucered the puck to the top for Tomas Hamara who moved it left to the circle for Jake O'Brien. Taking one stride towards the net, O'Brien unloaded a wicked wrister over Ivankovic's shoulder for his 7th of the season, giving the Bulldogs the lead to the locker room after 40 minutes.

The Bulldogs exploded of the locker room for the final frame, just 31-seconds in Calvin Crombie and Patrick Thomas worked the puck loose on the end boards with the captain feeding Nick Lardis to dart his 14th of the season, extending the lead to 4-2. Eighteen seconds later, Noah Roberts played the puck forward on the right for Zakary Lavoie who took a heavy hit to make the play to Jake O'Brien in a 2-on-1 with Cole Brown where O'Brien whistled his 2nd of the game and 8th of the season to give the Bulldogs a 5-2 lead at 0:49. Brampton got one back through MacGregor Richmond at 3:47 but David Egorov held strong the rest of the way, turning side 29 of 32 he faced. Nick Lardis set Jake O'Brien for the empty net to close proceedings at 18:17 as O'Brien collected his first career OHL hat-trick on his 9th of the season bumping the slump for the Bulldogs in a 6-3 road win.

The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Wednesday night, November 13th hosting the Barrie Colts at the Brantford Civic Centre at 7:00pm.

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