Photo credit: Darren Francis
After a 6-2 victory over the Chilliwack Chiefs in Game 6 of the Fred Page Cup Finals, the Brooks Bandits have won the BCHL championship in their first full season in the league.
The Bandits top line of Parker Lalonde, Nick Peluso and Luke Bibby continued their postseason dominance tonight, combining for four goals and six points in the win. Peluso scored twice, including the eventual game-winning goal late in the first period, while Bibby also scored twice and Lalonde contributed a pair of helpers.
Lalonde’s two assists gave him a league-best 31 playoff points, to go along with his BCHL-high 19 goals in 21 games. As a result, he was named the winner of the Jeff Tambellini Trophy as the playoff’s Most Valuable Player.
“It’s been a long four years for me with a lot of ups and downs,” said Lalonde. “We all came here to do a job at the start of the year. Being with some of these guys for the past two years…it’s unbelievable to do it with this group.”
The Chiefs jumped out to two separate leads in the first period, scoring a power-play marker just 54 seconds in, then regaining the lead for a a second time midway through the frame, but the Bandits battled back each time and took the lead for good on Peluso’s first of the game with 1:03 to play in the opening frame.
“They’re unbelievable players,” said Peluso, who finished just one point back of top spot in the playoff scoring race. “Me and Parker Lalonde have played together since I got here and developed a great chemistry, then Luke Bibby came in around the deadline and fit in just perfectly. We’re a tight group.”
Bandits defencemen Ethan Beyer and Keith McInnis finished the postseason tied for the most points among blueliners with 17 apiece. As team captain, Beyer accepted the Fred Page Cup from BCHL Commissioner Steven Cocker before being swarmed by his teammates.
“We worked so hard for this moment,” said Beyer. “We didn’t know what to expect, coming into the BCHL, but we knew this is what we wanted. I’m just so proud of this group.”
Brooks lost their first game of the playoffs to the West Kelowna Warriors before reeling off 10 straight victories, topping West Kelowna in five games, sweeping the Sherwood Park Crusaders in four and defeating the Penticton Vees in six games of the Interior Conference Finals.
“It was a big leap of faith for us to join this league,” said head coach Ryan Papaiouannou. “We needed the competition and we wanted it. It was a fantastic season against some great teams…I’m proud of everybody. Our guys were fantastic throughout the playoffs.”
With the series win, the Bandits become the first ever Alberta-based team to claim the BCHL championship.
