WA-MIN-CBJ-JiricekTrade No one knows that it's a dog-eat-dog world better than the Brantford Bulldogs who earned a critical two points in the Eastern Conference standings by defeating the Niagara IceDogs last night. The win extends their ongoing streak to seven games. Nick Lardis, who leads the OHL in goals, scored his 38th of the season to get the ball rolling for Brantford in the first period. The elite goal-scorer leads the Bulldogs with 69 points this season. Their lead ballooned in the second period with Jake O'Brien, Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/]' prospect Owen Protz, Lucas Moore, and team captain Patrick Thomas all scoring goals. After 40 minutes the Bulldogs held a commanding 5-0 lead. Things calmed down slightly in the third. Cole Brown picked up the Bulldogs' sixth goal before Niagara responded with a pair late in the period. After 60 minutes Brantford defeated Niagara in a commanding 6-2 win. This was a team victory for Brantford. Six different players recorded goals in the contest while Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/]' prospect Ryerson Leenders made 36 saves on 38 shots. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH8IOCj6v3Y[/embed] It was a career night for team captain Patrick Thomas took part in every goal scored by his team finishing the night with one goal and five assists. Bagging six points in a single game is a career high for Thomas who has 67 points so far this season. That eclipses his former high of 66 points in a single season. The win solidifies Brantford as a member of the five-team race at the top of the Eastern Conference. Heading into the weekend they now sit fifth in the standings with just two points separating them from the top spot. The Bulldogs have quietly climbed the standings after a turbulent start to the year. Between Lardis, Thomas and O'Brien, who is a potential top-10 pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Brantford has plenty of elite skill up front. The team's D-corps is also one of the strongest in the league. Thomas Hamara, Protz and Jiricek headline a group that is big, mean and skilled. They can lock down opposing players while also contributing on the offensive side of the puck. The Bulldogs' seven-game winning streak has done the team a lot of good. They are positioned well for the final third of the season. The five teams at the top of the East are Barrie, Oshawa, Niagara, Kingston and Brantford. All five teams have a point percentage higher than .600 as well as efficient powerplays operating at above a 20 percent success rate. All but one of these teams will secure home-ice advantage going into round one of the playoffs assuming they all stay within the top five. The race is on. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
