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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Lardis Strikes 60; Thomas Makes History as Dogs Best Petes 4-3

February 20, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Opening a three-game eastern road swing, the Brantford Bulldogs arrived at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night for their final visit of the season to Peterborough and penultimate game in the season series with the Petes.

Early good news on Thursday for the Bulldogs as well with the returns of both Adam Jiricek & Nikolas Rossetto to the lineup for the weekend set. The Bulldogs came out to open the game with purpose and their pressure paid off at 4:11 with Patrick Thomas winning a defensive zone draw and sending the puck to Nick Lardis on his right for Lardis to carry on a breakaway from the center circle. Charging down the slot on his forehand, Lardis made a quick fake to his backhand to draw Zachary Bowen across the crease before pulling the puck and lofting a shot over his glove, striking the top corner for his 58th of the season and a 1-0 lead. With his assist on the goal, Patrick Thomas tied Logan Morrison's single season assist record with 66. Ryerson Leenders was strong in the opening frame, only facing seven shots but having to turn aside three prime opportunities including a stunning post to post stop to keep the Bulldogs ahead.

The Petes answered back to open the middle frame with Carson Cameron bouncing the puck up and out of the defensive zone for a 2-on-1 with Francis Parish's initial shot being turned aside by Leenders only to have the rebound sit for Adam Levac to notch his 5th of the season at 9:16. The Bulldogs turned the momentum back in their favour shortly after, with Thomas Budnick winning the puck along the defensive boards and launching it forward to Jake O'Brien to lead a 3-on-1 with Marek Vanacker left and Nikolas Rossetto right. O'Brien set the puck to the left for Vanacker who rifled a shot past Bowen for his 18th of the season to give the Bulldogs back the lead 2-1. With the Bulldogs on the power-play at 13:24, Patrick Thomas won a faceoff on the Bulldogs attacking left-wing side right to the tape of Nick Lardis to quickly beat Bowen for his 2nd of the game and 59th of the season, giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. With the assist on the goal, Patrick Thomas broke the Bulldogs single season record for assists, collecting his 67th of the season. The Bulldogs power-play wasn't done in the middle frame, on a 5-on-3 at 16:59, Tomas Hamara and Jake O'Brien cycled the puck out high with Hamara playing off for O'Brien in the left circle. O'Brien quickly shuttled the puck across the ice for Nick Lardis who beat Bowen to the post and became just the 41st player in OHL history to record 60 goals on his 6th hat-trick & 16th multi-goal game of the season, staking the Bulldogs to a 4-1 lead they held through 40 minutes.

The third period made the race to the finish an interesting one with the Petes answering back and Ryerson Leenders standing up strong for his Bulldogs. With the Petes in a 5-on-3 for over 1:40, Leenders was called upon to make a spectacular cross crease split save to get his toe on a Jonathan Melee opportunity, one of his 21 saves in the period, that became a key stop as the frame unfolded. The hosts picked up a pair just under a minute apart, first Brody Partridge battled a Gens Ula rebound opportunity through Leenders at 11:06 to give the Petes life at 4-2. At 12:02, Braydon McCallum lifted the stick of Ben Radley on an attempted zone exit and turned to throw a quick, and unexpected, shot at Ryerson Leenders that surprised the Bulldogs netminder pulling the Petes to within a goal, 4-3. It was the Leenders' show from there, walling off the Bulldogs goal through a heavy push from the Petes and with 36 saves at the sound of the final horn, the Bulldogs captured the 4-3 win and stood alone in first place in the Eastern Conference on 75 points.

The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Friday night, February 21st, visiting the Kingston Frontenacs at the Slush Puppie Place in Kingston in a game with tremendous playoff implications and a 7:00pm start.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2025


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