The two-time defending national champions are back and looking to become the first team to go back-to-back-to-back at Canada’s National Junior A Championship
The two-time defending national Junior A champions are back.
After downing Okotoks in six games, sweeping Blackfalds and finishing off Spruce Grove in five to claim their seventh Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) title, the Brooks Bandits are now focused on capturing a third-straight Centennial Cup — something that has never been accomplished in the 50-year history of the tournament.
“We’re coming into this with high expectations, but we’re also very cognizant of the fact that every night we’re playing a championship-calibre team,” says Bandits head coach Ryan Papaioannou.
As has been the case in recent years, Brooks dominated the competition, finishing the season with a record of 53-5-1-1, one win more than they had last year. Those 53 wins, by the way, tie the AJHL record held by the 2012-13 Bandits for second-most in a single season.
Led by Aiden Fink’s league-leading 97 points, the Bandits possess an explosive offence that put up 319 goals over 60 games — 58 more than the next closest team. Fink had 41 goals, the second-most anyone in the AJHL. On top of that, the Bandits had five others who scored 20 or more goals.
“He’s been our leading scorer for an exhibition all the way through the playoffs. I think one of the differences from last year to now is his maturity has come quite far. He’s still a young player at 18, but he was dominant in our regular season,” Papaioannou says of Fink.
Brooks’ defence was equally impressive, allowing just 113 goals. The main reason? Netminder Ethan Barwick. The 20-year-old veteran gave up just 94 goals in the regular season and posted a 45-4-1 record with a .929 save-percentage and a 1.88 goals-against average.
“Ethan was probably our MVP most nights,” says Papaioannou. “We might rely on him a little bit too much, but he’s got lots of experience. He’s been with us for four seasons and this will be his third national championship that he’s played in.”
Heading into the Centennial Cup, the Bandits come loaded with former national champs. The roster includes nine players who were part of the 2022 championship team – Barwick, Fink, Heath Armstrong, Dario Beljo, Nathan Free, Dominick Campione, Hughie Hooker, Brendan Poshak and Wes Turner.
They also have new blood hungry to win on the big stage with players like…
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