Despite Kyle Jackson’s stellar performance against Waterford Kettering Saturday, Jan. 24, the Brandon hockey team had to settle for a tie.
The two teams traded the lead during the course of the game and battled for a 4-4 tie. Brandon’s record is now 8-3-2 overall.
Jackson scored an unassisted goal only 1:17 into the game to give Brandon the early lead. However, Kettering’s Matthew Sanborn answered about 1-1/2 minutes into the second period to tie the game at one.
It was Jackson who propelled the Blackhawks back into the lead, scoring unassisted yet again with 11:44 left in the second to put Brandon up 2-1.
However, goals from Craig Ramsey and Frank Marinelli later in the second put the Captains up 3-2 as the period came to a close.
The Captains added another goal with 12:11 left in the third, as David LaBelle lit the lamp on an assist from Drew McCandless.
Brandon came roaring back, as Mike Ross scored on an assist from Craig Skidmore with 7:03 left, and Jackson completed his hat trick with 3:09 left on an assist from Ross.
In a hard-fought defensive matchup, visiting Bloomfield defeated the Blackhawks 2-1 on Jan. 21.
With 8:08 left in the second period, Brandon’s Scotty Steudle was called for roughing. Bloomfield immediately capitalized on the power play, as Kyle Wilson scored on assists from Charlie Bell and Kyle McGovern.
Bloomfield scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at 10:16 of the third period, when Brett Fauscine scored on an assist from Jonah Mandell. Brandon’s lone goal of the game came at 12:21 of the third, as Chris Nuccio scored an unassisted goal.
Both goaltenders stepped it up in this game. Bloomfield’s Stephen Curtis stopped 20-of-21 shots (95.2 percent), while Brandon’s David Hughes stopped 28-of-30 shots (93.3 percent).