Trenten Bennett of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
Jake O’Brien scored two of Brantford’s three power play goals as the Bulldogs downed the Owen Sound Attack 4-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at TD Civic Centre.
Nikolas Rossetto and Marek Vanacker also scored for the Bulldogs (34-7-6-1), which extended its point streak to 10-games.
Tristan Delisle had the lone goal for the Attack (19-24-1-3).
“I thought we started really well. We were really good during certain parts of the game,” says Attack Head Coach Scott Wray. “We talked about not letting them on the power play. And a couple of missed assignments on the (penalty-kill), letting O’Brien come in and shoot a couple of times like that…it’s going to hurt you.”
The Bulldogs pulled away with a pair of goals 32 seconds apart late in the second period. O’Brien gave the home team its first lead of the game at 14:59 of the second, walking into the slot uncontested on the power play and ripping a shot low past Trenten Bennett.
The goal came moments after Bennett put in an OHL save of the year candidate. After sliding to his right to make one stop, the puck popped to Caleb Malhotra and he had a wide open net to look at near the crease. Bennett managed to reach back behind himself and get his glove to the goal line in time, robbing Malhotra with the glove on what looked to be a sure goal.
The O’Brien power play marker came on the next sequence after the big save, putting the Bulldogs ahead 2-1.
Then the Attack caught some tough luck on what looked to be a missed call. The Bulldogs broke out of their zone and the puck appeared to be advanced over the blue line into neutral ice on a hand pass – but it was missed by the officials. The Bulldogs ended up get into the Attack end, and then Caden Taylor had the puck on the far board and sent it up the middle – right on the tape of Rossetto’s stick. He took it to the net and put a shot by Bennett to make it 3-1 Bulldogs.
That’s where things stood after two periods. O’Brien would add another power play goal 5:52 into the third. Again, he just moved his way into the slot and then let a wrist shot go, this one high over a screened Bennett to extend Brantford’s lead to 4-1.
There was a fight in the game. Owen Protz jumped Attack defenceman Elliot Arnett in the first period, after Arnett threw a hit in the corner on Vanacker that was called for boarding. Protz came in throwing punches and was given an instigator penalty for the fight.
The Attack did lead early in the first period before the Bulldogs barked back. Delisle picked up a rebound in front of Ryerson Leenders and tucked it home to make it 1-0 Owen Sound 5:03 after the opening faceoff.
While they didn’t get the result in Brantford Friday, it was another competitive effort from the Attack against a top team in the OHL – two days after they beat the Kitchener Rangers, Owen Sound managed to skate with Brantford and at even-strength it was a 1-1 game. Special teams were the difference. Wray agrees you can see from the last two games there’s confidence building for the Attack.
“You can feel it in there,” he says.
Leenders made 21 saves in the win, while Bennett stopped 41 taking the loss. The Bulldogs outshot the Attack while going 3 for 6 on the power play; Owen Sound finished 0 for 3.
Next up for the Attack is a home game against Guelph Storm (19-22-2-2) Saturday night at the Bayshore. It’s a big one, the Attack and Storm are currently tied for sixth in the OHL’s Western Conference.
BELLY ACHES
The Attack were without defenceman Julian Brown and forward Jake Crawford for Friday’s game in Brantford. Attack Head Coach Scott Wray says there were both down with an illness, specifically suspected food poisoning that left the pair unable to play. They should be able to return Saturday against Guelph.
JACKMAN BACK
Attack rookie forward Landon Jackman made his return to the Attack lineup after missing the past eight games with an upper-body injury.
NOAHS’ NIGHTS
It was the last time Attack overage players Noah Nelson and Noah Roberts saw the organization that drafted them, the Bulldogs, Friday night. Both Nelson and Roberts were drafted by then the Hamilton Bulldogs in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.
Nelson remains injured for the Attack and couldn’t play, but did take warmups for the game. He was also recognized with a video tribute during the first period.
Roberts was in the Attack lineup – he was playing in his second game back in Brantford after already making his return there last season as a member of the Sudbury Wolves.
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