Malhotra's Pair Not Enough in 4-2 Loss in Kingston
OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Malhotra's Pair Not Enough in 4-2 Loss in Kingston

Published on December 19, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


KINGSTON, ONTARIO. On the road for the final two games before the team heads off for Christmas break, the Brantford Bulldogs opened their eastern road swing paying their first visit of the season to Slush Puppie Place in Kingston to visit the Frontenacs.

The Bulldogs lineup was bolstered by the return of both captain, and team leading scorer, Jake O'Brien and OHL leading goal scorer Marek Vanacker in advance of the eastern swing from Team Canada World Junior Camp. It took just 1:13 for O'Brien to add to hi s assist total as he dropped the puck around behind his own goal for Edison Engle who sent it up the left-wing side for Caleb Malhotra to race into the Kingston zone. Breaking through the left circle, Malhotra laced a shot over the glove of Matthew Minchak on a coast-to-coast effort for his 16th of the season and a 1-0 Bulldogs lead. Brantford held the lead until 9:44, when Vann Williamson's point shot deflected off both Landon Wright and Aleks Kulemin past David Egorov for Kulemin's 5th of the season knotting the game 1-1. David Egorov finished the frame strong stopping 11 of the 12 shots he faced, behind a defence that was down four regulars with Ben Danford, Adam Jiricek & Vladimir Dravecky away at World Junior camps while Owen Protz missed Friday night due to illness. Marek Vanacker had a late chance in the opening frame to nose the Dogs ahead, but a Minchak save at the right post denied the OHL's top goal scorer the opportunity.

The offence picked up in the middle frame, after David Egorov & Matthew Minchak had moments of brilliance, it was a Matthew Frost faceoff win on the Fronts attacking left side to Maleek McGowan that saw the fleet footed defender explode down the boards and cut to the front of the net to record his 7th of the season giving the hosts a 2-1 lead at 9:07. After Egorov made a brilliant split save across his goal line to deny Robin Kuzma a golden opportunity, Edison Engle sent a dart forward to Cooper Dennis who fed Caleb Malhotra over the blueline on the left-wing side. Malhotra pin-pointed a shot through Minchak for his 2nd of the game & 17th of the season to knot the game 2-2 at 16:34. The Frontenacs hopped back into the lead just 12-seconds later off the ensuing faceoff. Robin Kuzma sent the puck forward for Aleks Kulemin on the right-wing where David Egorov battled off his initial chance, but the rebound chance laid dead for Landon Wright to send in his 6th of the year giving the Fronts back the 3-2 lead at 16:46 which they held to the intermission.

David Egorov was brilliant in the final frame holding aside a pair of Landon Wright opportunities, including a breakaway pad stop to give the Bulldogs the opportunity but with Jake O'Brien unable to return to Friday night's contest, for precautionary purposes, the Bulldogs offense wasn't able to notch another past Matthew Minchak before Nolan Buttar hit the empty net to assure a 4-2 Frontenacs win.

The Brantford Bulldogs will return to action to close out their pre-Christmas schedule on Saturday afternoon, December 20th, visiting TD Place in Ottawa to take on the 67's at 3:00pm.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 19, 2025


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