In front of a lively Family Day crowd at the Brantford Civic Centre, the Brantford Bulldogs battled to an electrifying 8-6 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, securing their eighth consecutive playoff berth in the Ontario Hockey League.
The action began with a controversial moment on an early Greyhounds power play. Ryerson Leenders made a highlight-reel save on a low-slot shot from Justin Cloutier, and although the rebound was knocked into the net by Brady T. Smith’s skate, video review ruled no goal. Moments later, the visitors broke through when Noel Nordh pounced on a Carson Andrew rebound to give the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead at 8:44.
The Bulldogs responded on their own power play at 15:12. Leenders initiated the attack with a stretch pass to Patrick Thomas, who combined with Jake O’Brien to set up Nick Lardis. Lardis, leading the CHL in goals, buried his 57th of the season to tie the game 1-1. The Greyhounds reclaimed the lead at 17:12, as Cloutier fired his 24th goal past Leenders on the power play for a 2-1 advantage. But before the first intermission, Lardis struck again. On a 2-on-1 with Cole Brown, Lardis notched his 27th goal at 18:47, evening the score at 2-2 after a wild opening period.
The Bulldogs seized control early in the second period. On a power play just seconds in, Tomas Hamara’s shot from the blue line found its way through traffic for his eighth goal of the year, pushing the Bulldogs ahead 3-2. Less than two minutes later, Ethan Facchina’s forechecking effort created a turnover that led to Thomas Budnick’s fifth goal of the season from the right point, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 4-2.
The Greyhounds quickly countered at 5:47. Chase Reid capitalized on a feed from Marco Mignosa, snapping a wrist shot past Leenders to make it a 4-3 game. Despite end-to-end chances, the score remained the same entering the third period.
The final frame delivered nonstop drama. At 2:23, Patrick Thomas intercepted a pass in neutral ice and connected with Cole Brown, who scored his second of the game and 28th of the season for a 5-3 lead. Brown continued his hot streak minutes later, completing a hat trick and netting his 29th goal—his eighth of the weekend—off a setup from Marek Vanacker, extending the lead to 6-3 and prompting a goalie change for the Greyhounds, with Noah Tegelaar replacing Landon Miller.
The Greyhounds roared back with three quick goals. At 11:10, Cloutier notched his second of the game and 25th of the season with a powerful drive through the slot, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Then, in a stunning sequence on the penalty kill, Sault Ste. Marie scored back-to-back shorthanded goals. Mignosa intercepted a drop pass and fired home his 25th goal at 13:37, and 11 seconds later, Travis Hayes banked a backhand shot off Leenders’ mask for his 16th goal, tying the game 6-6.
With tension mounting, Leenders made a game-saving cross-crease stop on a 2-on-1, denying Carson Andrew and keeping the Bulldogs alive. That save proved crucial when, at 18:36, Joshua Avery stripped the puck from Tegelaar behind the Greyhounds’ net and set up Noah Nelson, who buried his sixth goal to restore the Bulldogs’ lead at 7-6. The Greyhounds pulled their goalie in the final minute, but Jake O’Brien sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:45, his 29th of the season.
The 8-6 triumph secured the Bulldogs’ place in the postseason for the eighth consecutive year. Brantford now hits the road for a three-game trip, beginning Thursday night, February 20, against the Peterborough Petes at the Memorial Centre.
