The Lloydminster Bandits are in it to win it.
The boys in black and red lead their best-of-seven second-round playoff series with the Vermilion Tigers 2-1 after a 4-1 Tigers’ win on March 4.
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Game 1 was nothing short of a grudge match as the Bandits capitalized with 5 minutes remaining in overtime for a 3-2 win.
After a scoreless first, captain Joel Webb got things going for the Bandits on the powerplay at 11:50 in the second off a Corvan Stewart assist. Vermilion’s Jaxson Toutant, however, got the equalizer just over a minute later.
Braydan Edwards made it 2-1 for the Bandits at 8:53 in the third off another Stewart assist. Wyatt Dyck, however, silenced the Bandits’ bench with an equalizer of his own with 55 seconds left on the clock.
Aidan Martens got the game-winner off a Chad Bates assist 15 minutes into overtime.
Game 2 saw the Bandits earn a 5-2 win, but it didn’t come easy.
Adryan Bugiera was first to light the lamp at 13:29 with assists to Jayden Plamondon and Brayden Edwards. Bugiera also got the team’s second of the night at 9:04 in the first, his third of the post season. Assists for goal two went to Aidan Martens and Edwards.
Vermilion’s Ean Cooke got the Tigers on the board at 3:32. Corvan Stewart, however, made it 3-1 for the Bandits before the end of the first.
The second period saw goals from Bandits captain, Joel Webb, and a secondary from Vermilion’s Cooke.
The nail in the coffin came with 30 seconds remaining in regulation with a shorthanded Webb goal.
The series is in Vermilion on Thursday but returns to the Border City at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (March 8).
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