Paquette Proves Overtime Hero with 2.2 Seconds Left
Published on January 23, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
SUDBURY, ON. The Brantford Bulldogs put a close on their two-game northern road swing on Friday night, making their first of two visits to the Sudbury Community Arena, meeting the Wolves.
Opening the game with more of a sense of urgency than the night before, the Bulldogs controlled the territorial possession in the opening frame, creating a pair of power-play opportunities and generating the game's first golden opportunity. On a two-on-one rush, Cooper Dennis on the right side found Caleb Malhotra off the left where the OHL's leading rookie scorer looked to slide the puck five-hole only to have Bjorn Bronas split across his goal and manage to get enough of the puck to slide it back out past the post keeping the game scoreless. Sudbury struck first just after a 4-on-4 expired and the Wolves got the extra man. Luca Blonda's initial shot caromed off the end boards to Jan Chovan who shovelled it from below the goal line off Ryerson Leenders and into the Bulldogs net at 11:58 to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead. It took the Bulldogs less than a minute to respond in beautiful fashion as Vladimir Dravecky dealt the puck from the middle of the attacking blueline to Jake O'Brien on the left half wall. Spinning to lose Gens Ula, O'Brien laid a perfect pass to Marek Vanacker in the right circle for the OHL's leading goal scorer to hammer a shot off the back bar for his 32nd of the season at 12:48. The Bulldogs had one more great chance before the period was out with a late power-play and nearly two full minutes of puck control but a couple of timely shot blocks from Wolves defenders kept the Bulldogs from taking the lead down the tunnel with the score 1-1 after 20 minutes.
The middle frame saw 16 penalties called throughout it in a marathon of a period that saw the Bulldogs fall to a trail position. Opening the period 2:25 in, Jean-Cristoph Lemieux deflected a Vladimir Provorov shot that went off Charlie Paquette's skate as well before rolling through Ryerson Leenders to give the Wolves a 2-1 lead. With the Bulldogs in a 5-on- 3, they answered back, as Jake O'Brien played the puck from the top of the left circle to the bottom for Jett Luchanko who flashed a pass off a Wolves stick and off Marek Vanacker's skate and in for his 2nd of the game and 33rd of the season to tie the game 2-2 at 8:28.
Ryerson Leenders was center stage next, making a brilliant split save to deny a shorthanded opportunity from Jan Chovan going post-to-post to keep the puck out. After a late, high hit from Chase Coughlan on Marek Vanacker brought a response from the Bulldogs, Owen Protz ended up with the extra minor putting the Wolves to a late power-play which they capitalized on, with Adam Nemec stepping down the slot and putting a shot off the back bar to give the Wolves a 3-2 lead at 19:29 sending the Bulldogs to the 3rd period trailing for the 3rd straight game.
The Bullodgs looked a different team in the third period, beginning at 4:32 when Ben Danford started the play forward for Cooper Dennis who found Charlie Paquette through the middle of the ice to beat Bjorn Bronas for his 20th of the season, tying the game 3-3. The Bulldogs took the lead 13:13 when Charlie Paquette sent the puck forward for Cooper Dennis off the right-wing side where he quickly found Caleb Malhotra bolting through the middle of the ice. Malhotra whistled a shot through Bronas for his 22nd of the season to give the Bulldogs the 4-3 advantage. Sudbury wasn't done yet, knotting the game on the power- play at 14:50, with a bit of puck luck, fanning on his initial shot and getting it to deflect off Ryerson Leenders stick and in to force an overtime session. Charlie Paquette was the hero on the night for the Bulldogs, with 2.2 seconds to go, taking an Adam Jiricek pass from his own zone, flying around two Wolves and beating Bronas clean for his 2nd of the game to give the Bulldogs the 5-4 overtime victory.
The Brantford Bulldogs return to action on Sunday afternoon, January 25th, returning to the TD Civic Centre for a showdown with the Barrie Colts in a 2:00pm puck drop.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2026
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- Schouten and Kuzma Score First Otters Goals as Erie Falls in Shootout - Erie Otters
- Paquette Proves Overtime Hero with 2.2 Seconds Left - Brantford Bulldogs
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