Leenders Denies 38 in Bulldogs 3-1 Win in Sarnia
OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Leenders Denies 38 in Bulldogs 3-1 Win in Sarnia

Published on October 24, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


SARNIA, ONTARIO. Beginning their first 3-in-3 stretch of the season with their only visit of the season to the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, the Bulldogs took their east leading 8-0-1-1 start to meet a Sarnia Sting side coming off a strong rivalry week performance, where they took 3 of 4 points against the Windsor Spitfires, in a Friday night clash.

The Bulldogs top line went immediately on the attack to open the game with reigning OHL Goalie of the Week Patrick Quinlan forced to come up with an early 10-bell toe save to deny the line of Adam Benak, Marek Vanacker & Jake O'Brien the game's opening goa l.

Ryerson Leenders was outstanding at the other end of the rink, making a series of shoulder stops early on Jack Van Volsen, Liam Beamish & Beckham Edwards to keep the the scoreline clean. The hard work from the Bulldogs paid off at 8:53, with Adam Jiricek pivoting with the puck off the right point under pressure and turning the puck to the left point for Owen Protz who delivered a pass back side that Sam McCue slammed in for his 7th of the season & 5th in the last games, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 they took to the locker room through 20-minutes.

Ryerson Leenders was the story of the middle frame, equaling his 1st period performance of 11 stops but making a couple in dramatic fashion as part of a pair of successful penalty kills. The best of the bunch were split between the two kills with the first being a beautiful glove save on a slot drive from Matthew Manza followed on the second kill by a left-toe stop to deny a short distance 2-on-1 cross crease feed for Beckham Edwards. The Bulldogs used their second power-play of the night to extend to the lead at 15:05. After Caleb Malhotra's successful entry on the right -wing side, he spread the puck for Jake O'Brien on the left. After an exchange to Adam Jiricek at the top of the formation, O'Brien looked to go from the left circle to the right for Adam Benak, the targeted pass was tipped dying out in the slot where Adam Jiricek activated and slung his 3rd of the season to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead that they held through 40 minutes.

The third period was all Ryerson Leenders as the Bulldogs netminder denied 16 of the 17 sent his way. The Sting put a push on early in the frame, outshooting the Bulldogs 9-0 in the first few minutes of the frame, including a power-play that saw Leenders make a brilliant glove save on Liam Beamish off the right-wing side. The Sting did manage breakthrough for a goal at 7:37 after Leenders made a brilliant toe save on Jordan Bax on a Sting 3-on-1, Cam Aucoin kept the play alive tossing a puck to the front of the net that was tipped by Ben Pickell making it a one- goal game on the OA's 3rd marker of the season.

The one goal gap wasn't a problem for Leenders who punctuated his incredible performance making an incredible blocker save on a late 2-on-1 stealing a Kase Kamzik attempt at the left post to keep the one goal lead for the visitors. At 18:57 while skating 5- on-6, Owen Protz knocked the puck through neutral ice for Marek Vanacker who took a hit on the left-wing boards to get the puck to Cooper Dennis and finish off the game into the empty net on his 5th of the year. With Ryerson Leenders 38 saves, the Bulldogs pushed their frachise best start to 9-0-1-1 with the 3-1 win.

The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Saturday, October 25th, hosting the rival Oshawa Generals at the TD Civic Centre with a 5:00pm start time. The team will also host a World Series watch party for Game 2 at the TD Rinkside Lounge immediately following the Bulldogs game.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2025


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