The Brantford Bulldogs held off a late surge from the Oshawa Generals to earn a 5–4 victory Friday night at the Tribute Communities Centre, maintaining their spot atop the OHL’s Eastern Conference.
Brantford jumped out to an early lead with first-period goals from Layne Gallacher and Cooper Dennis.
The Generals rallied in the second, but the Bulldogs matched them stride for stride in a six-goal frame.
Marek Vanacker, Jake O’Brien, and Adam Jiricek each found the back of the net, with O’Brien adding three assists in a standout performance.
Oshawa outshot Brantford 35–26 and closed the gap with Simon Wang’s late goal, but the Bulldogs’ defense held firm.
O’Brien was named first star, followed by Oshawa’s Owen Griffin and Brantford’s Dennis.
The Bulldogs improved to 14–4–0 with the win, extending their lead in the East, while the Generals dropped to 5–13–0.
Brantford returns to action Sunday afternoon against the Ottawa 67’s in a first-place showdown.
