Bandits earn Dave Duchak trophy
The Brooks Bandits have captured the Dave Duchak Trophy as the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) Regular Season Champions for the fourth time in the past eight years after recording the most successful regular season in the history of the AJHL, the league announced today.
The Bandits previously clinched the Dave Duchak Trophy in 2012, 2013 and 2017; the team would go on to win the AJHL Title in all three campaigns. The annual league award is in the namesake of David Duchak, the first Commissioner of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Brooks completed the regular season with a record of 57-3, becoming the first team to ever record 57 wins, 112 points and setting a new league record with a 33-game win streak dating back to November 30th. The Bandits held an undefeated home record of 30-0, including 29-0 at the Centennial Regional Arena, setting another league record in a remarkable season.
The team has also set a new AJHL best for fewest losses with only three on the season. The team’s 334 total goals will be recorded as the fifth-best offence in league history.
Head Coach and General Manager Ryan Papaioannou (Calgary, AB) was recently honoured as the 2018-19 AJHL Coach of the Year. Since the 2009-10 season, Papaioannou has recorded more than 500 overall wins as Head Coach and led the team to four AJHL championships.
Bandits forward William Lemay (Marieville, QC) is the 2018-2019 AJHL Scoring Champion and winner of the Ernie Love Trophy. Lemay, 20, scored 32 goals, and 58 assists to conclude the regular season with 90 points in 58 games. Lemay built his lead in the scoring race with 27 multi-point games, including 19 points in the final month of the season. The University of Vermont commit was also a finalist for the League MVP Award.
Bandits goaltenders Pierce Charleson (Aurora, ON) and Tanner Marshall (Kelowna, BC) are the recipients of the Reebok / CCM Top Team Goaltenders Award, which is presented annually to the goaltenders of the team with the lowest goals against average (GAA) in the regular season. With only 125 goals against and a 2.08 GAA, the Bandits allowed the third fewest goals in franchise history, ninth fewest in the League Record Book.
Charleson, 19, was a finalist for the AJHL Top Goaltender Award and completed the season with a record of 42-2, leading the AJHL in wins and second overall with a 2.16 GAA. Charleson set an AJHL record for Most Consecutive Wins by a Goaltender with 21 straight victories from November 30th – March 2nd. Marshall, 19, was undefeated at 12-0 and posted a 1.33 GAA. Charleson and Marshall also combined for nine shutouts in the regular season.
The Bandits have earned a first round bye in the 2019 Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoffs as the top team in the Viterra AJHL South Division. A complete schedule for the 2019 Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoffs is available on the AJHL website AJHL.ca. The top seven teams in each division qualify for the AJHL Playoffs with the highest ranked seed awarded home ice advantage.