The Blackfalds Bulldogs opened the 2026-27 BCHL regular season with a 6-4 win over the Brooks Bandits on Friday night at Eagle Builders Centre, giving 1,054 fans a loud home opener and an early two points. From the drop of the puck the Bulldogs came on strong, pinning Brooks in its own end and looking like the sharper team. That edge faded for a stretch in the first period as Blackfalds lost some of its jump and the game drifted until the opening goal snapped them back awake. What followed was a back-and-forth night against a Bandits group that, by recent standards, looked like one of the weaker Brooks teams seen in years.
Former Val d’Or Foreur and four year QMJHL veteran Jeremy Leroux makes it a 1-0 game for the Bandits at 1:58 of the first period while on the Power Play. The assists on the goal went to Russian Import Alexei Zhukov and fellow Quebecer Zachary Deleau.
Former Langley Riverman Makaio Van Tassel makes it a 2-0 Bandits game at 9:20 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Dmitrijs Dilevka and Zachary Deleau.
Max Leduc opens up the scoring for the Bulldogs 2026-27 season with a beauty short handed marker at 18:35 of the first period.
Shots on goal in the first period were 10-6 for the Bulldogs
Makaio Van Tassel gets awarded a penalty shot for who knows what, and he ended up scoring to make the game 3-1 Brooks at 8:22 of the second period.
Dean Toskos got the Bulldogs back within one at 13:48 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Antoine Gauthier and Matthew Croxall.
Nicholas Dipaolo tied the game up for the Bulldogs at 18:46 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Henry Kress and Dane Jeppe Bertram.
Shots on goal in the second period were 14-5 for the Bulldogs
Leon Brunn makes it a 4-3 game for the Bulldogs while on the Power Play at 4:13 of the third period. The assist on the goal went to former Trail Smoke Eater and Camrose Kodiak Carter Matthews.
Leon Brunn gets his second goal of the night less than a minute later on the Power Play again to make it a 5-3 game for the Bulldogs at 5:01 of the third period. The assists on the goal went to Carter Matthews and Nicholas DiPaolo.
Makaio Van Tassel completes his hat trick at 8:27 of the third period while on the Power Play to make it a 5-4 game and get the Bandits within one. The assists on the goal went to Alexei Zhukov and Dmitrij Dilevka.
Antoine Gauthier fired the puck into the empty net at 19:37 of the third period to make it a 6-4 game.
Shots on goal in the third period were 10-8 for the Bandits. The Bulldogs outshot the Bandits in the game 32-21.
Oliver Kiraly stopped 17 of the 21 shots that he faced for the win for the Bulldogs. For the Bandits former Val d’Or Foreur Emile Beaunoyer stopped 26 of the 31 shots he faced.
Three Stars of the game were 1) Max Leduc 2) Makaio Van Tassel 3) Leon Brunn
Attendance in Blackfalds was 1054
Bulldogs next game is Saturday September 19th in Sherwood Park against the Crusaders
On September 13, 2026, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs acquired the BCHL playing rights to defenseman Radoslav Dimitrov (2008-born) from the Blackfalds Bulldogs in exchange for future considerations. Those Future Considerations appear to be Russian Artem Akhmadullin
On the same day as the Dimitrov deal (September 13, 2026), the Blackfalds Bulldogs sent 2006-born forward Tim-Kristian Lukkarinen (plus future considerations) to the Trail Smoke Eaters in exchange for defenseman Carter Matthews. (this came from grok)