Closing out their three-game eastern road trip, the Brantford Bulldogs secured a commanding 5-1 victory over the Ottawa 67’s on Sunday afternoon at TD Place Arena in Ontario Hockey League (OHL) action.
The Bulldogs struck early, with Nick Lardis netting his 61st goal of the season just 25 seconds into the game, becoming only the third player in franchise history to reach 100 points in a season. He added another before the first intermission, giving Brantford a 2-0 lead.
A tight-checking second period saw Patrick Thomas extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-0, while goaltender Ryerson Leenders remained sharp, stopping all seven shots he faced in the frame.
The final period proved historic, as Lardis completed his hat trick at 11:59, setting a new franchise record with 103 points on the season. Ottawa broke Leenders’ shutout bid late, but Josh Avery’s last-minute goal sealed the dominant win.
Brantford now turns its attention to a crucial Eastern Conference showdown at home on Friday against the Oshawa Generals, with first place potentially on the line.
