Lloydminster Bandits forward Rylin Nelson sneaks one past Border Chiefs netminder Wyatt Gardipy on Friday night at the Centennial Civic Centre. The Bandits beat the Border Chiefs 9-1 on Friday before heading to Killam to beat the Wheat Kings 9-1. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source Photos
Whether on the road or in the home barn, the Lloydminster Bandits are finding ways to win, in big ways.
The Bandits (19-7-1), playing out of the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League (NEAJBHL), currently sit third overall in league standings after putting up 18 goals in two nights over the weekend.
The boys began their weekend at the Civic Centre as they hosted the Onion Lake Border Chiefs (0-25-1) on Friday, besting the Chiefs 9-1 before heading to Killam to play the Wheat Kings on Saturday where they won 9-2.
Friday’s homer saw goals from Jayden Plamondon, Koston Eaton and Jace Gunderson, with captain Joel Webb, Maddux Woodbury, and Rylin Nelson scoring two a piece.
With the knowledge of the long-standing rivalry between the Bandits and the Wheat Kings, the boys were confident heading to Killam on Saturday, but not overly confident.
The phrase “Run em up, fill em in” comes to mind when speaking to Saturday’s game in Killam as the Bandits snuck another nine goals past the Wheat Kings’ netminders.
Killam’s Cade Schatsnieder and Kyler Bergseth may have opened the scoring on Saturday, but that’s all it took to ignite the Bandits into a scoring frenzy.
Ethan Jubinville-Morin got on the board at 14:35 in the first before an equalizer was scored by Kade Dennett at 17:45.
The second period started with a Joel Webb goal 1:27 into the frame, which was followed by lamp lighters from Koston Eaton, a second from Webb, Cohen Turcotte and a second from Eaton.
Going into the third with a 7-2 lead, the Bandits weren’t done yet as Braydan Edwards made it 8-2 at the 4:42 mark.
The boy’s ninth and final goal of the game came off the tape of captain Webb for a hat trick as well as his 31st goal of the year.
Bandits goaltender Andrew Kreis gets the paddle down after an attempted wraparound by the Onion Lake Border Chiefs on Friday.
Webb is currently ranked third overall among NEAJBHL scorers with 31 goals and 23 assists for 54 points in 27 games. Right behind him is teammate Jayden Plamondon, who’s racked up 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 27 games.
For Nelson, the mentality going into Friday’s game was ‘get prepared.’
“It’s kinda hard coming off the break, but we played well and we’re getting ready for tomorrow in Killam,” he said after Friday’s win.
Although unintentional, Nelson did a bit of foreshadowing as to how Saturday’s game may go in Killam after Friday’s win.
“It’ll be a good battle, should be a pretty hard game,” he said, adding the keys to success going forward will be to stay healthy, rest when you need it, and see the trainer if needed.
The Bandits’ regular-season home schedule is almost finished as the boys head to Onion Lake tonight before heading to Wainwright on Friday. Their final two games will be in St. Paul and Vegreville.
