The Brooks Bandits defeated the Portage Terriers at the National Jr. A Championships in Brooks, Alberta on Sunday. (Hockey Canada photo)

By Ron Valentine

The Sunday evening game at the National Jr. A Championship tournament it was the host Brooks Bandits with the opposition being the Portage Terriers, who fell 3-0 to the Ottawa Junior Senators on Saturday.

Brooks' Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou before the game: "I do think Portage has a different style than Oakville, they look to be more physical for sure. Our approach will change game to game based on the opponent as they all bring something different to the table. We need to continue to be a better version of ourselves as the week goes on." 

Ethan Peterson, complete with his checkered flag pads, was in goal for Portage, replacing Nathan Moore.

Portage's own Reilly Funk got the Terriers one up with their first shot on goal halfway through the first period. They would go two up courtesy Regina's Reece Henry near the fifteen minute mark. Andrew Lucas cut that lead in half as he lasered home a shot from between the faceoff circles. The Vermont commit had a 49-point regular season and 13 in 15 playoff games. Two goals on six shots for the Terriers after 20 minutes but they led 2-1. The Bandits had 19 shots on goal.

In Period 2, the Terriers, against the run of play, went 3-1 ahead as Ty Barnstable got a powerplay marker on a seeing-eye long shot with just under five minutes left. Cue two very large goals from the Bandits in the last thirty seconds of the period. Number one at 19.30 from William Lemay, again from between the faceoff circles and the other at 19:47 by Mack Hancock, potting a rebound. 3-3, two complete. Shots 14-4 Brooks in this period.

In the third, the Bandits would take the lead for the first time in the contest and it took only 53 seconds with Simon Gravel doing the honors. The Canisius commit had 80 regular season and playoff points. The home team could not add another until on a powerplay. With the Terriers' 'keeper on the bench Gravel notched his second of the game barely beating the final buzzer for the 5-3 final. Shots on goal were 46-16 in favour of the winners.

Man of the match for Brooks was Hancock with Portage's Sam Huston getting the nod for his team. With the victory Brooks' record goes to 2-0 and the Terriers fall to 0-2 with a brave effort in this one 

Monday's action sees just one game with the Spruce Kings and Junior Senators, both 1-0, facing off.

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The top four teams in the tournament round-robin qualify for the semifinals Saturday. The final will be played Sunday, May 19, at 5 p.m. EDT.

All preliminary round and semifinals will be streamed live on HockeyCanada.ca. The championship game will be broadcast on TSN and streamed on TSN.ca

All Oakville Blades games at the nationals are being broadcast on Oakville Blades Radio. Listen at oakvilleblades.ca