Vanacker's Pair & Dennis' 3-Point Night Pace Dogs 7-4 Win in Niagara
OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Vanacker's Pair & Dennis' 3-Point Night Pace Dogs 7-4 Win in Niagara

Published on October 9, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO. Embarking on their first three-game weekend of the young season, the Brantford Bulldogs opened up the trio with their first visit of the season to the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines for a duel with the Niagara IceDogs.

The opening period started strong for the Bulldogs pouring pressure onto the goal of Charlie Robertson, with the best chance being a left-wing attempt by Marek Vanacker on a Jake O'Brien that drew a penalty with Vanacker being hauled down to the ice. Despite a great backdoor look on the man advantage the and the Bulldogs piling up 7 shots before the halfway point of the opening frame, the game remained scoreless. Ryerson Leenders was spectacular at the other end of the rink with a pair of 10-bell saves in the later stages of the period. First denying Kevin He on a breakaway with a beautiful glove stop before coming up big a second time with a sliding shoulder stop on Riley Patterson on a defensive zone turnover. The IceDogs managed to crack through Leenders late in the frame. At 18:20, Ryerson Edgar set Kevin He for a slot drive that bounced off Ethan Czata's shin pad and into the Brantford goal to give the IceDogs a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes.

The second period got off to a frantic start with Ethan Czata starting and finishing a play just 20-seconds into the period to give the IceDogs a 2-0 lead. The advantage was short-lived, 1:22 in the middle frame Cooper Dennis dropped the puck back for Edison Engle in neutral ice who fed on for Vladimir Dravecky, gaining the middle of the offensive zone, Dravecky rifled a shot off the back bar for his 3rd of the season pulling the Bulldogs back within a goal. At 3:46, Edison Engle started the play up the left-wing wall for Sam McCue who turned in forward for Marek Vanacker. Barreling down the wing, Vanacker turned Ben Reisnecker inside out before beating Charlie Robertson for his 4th goal in as many games to tie the game 2-2. The Bulldogs got to their first lead of the game at 9:37 as Layne Gallacher won a right-circle draw in the attacking zone to himself and whipped a shot through Robertson for his 1st in the OHL and a 3-2 Bulldogs lead. After an Aiden O'Donnell goal was pulled off the board due to a high stick, the Bulldogs still managed to extend the lead. After Lucas Moore fired the puck into a pile in front of Charlie Robertson, Caleb Malhotra was able to knock it to the right side where Cooper Dennis, from a sharp angle, was able to find a hole through Robertson to record his 3rd goal of the season at 17:12 giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead through 40-minutes of play.

The third period was just as crazy as the second with the IceDogs pulling back to within at 4:23 through Kevin He's 3rd of the season. The Bulldogs bubbled the lead back to a pair at 9:07 as Vladimir Dravecky laid the puck to the goal line on the right-wing side for Adam Benak who worked to the bottom of the circle and fed a picture perfect pass cross-ice to Marek Vanacker to fire in his 2nd of the game and 5th of the season for a 5-3 lead. Ryerson Edgar cut into the lead once more, pulling it back to 5-4 on his 4th of the season at 9:59 but the Bulldogs pulled away from there. After killing a late penalty, Cooper Dennis launched the puck forward to a streaking Owen Protz fresh out of the box for the big defenseman to deposit his 1st of the season on a brilliant forehand to backhand shake at 16:11. The Bulldogs put the game on ice at 17:12 with Lucas Moore working the puck to Sam McCue who was occupying the IceDogs defense in the goalmouth before Luca Testa knocked in his 3rd of the year, solidifying the Bulldogs 7-4 victory.

The Brantford Bulldogs return home tomorrow night, Friday, October 10th, to host the Sudbury Wolves for a 7:00pm start time at TD Civic Centre.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2025


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