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BEL Finals: Great Plains Edges Bruins

By Peter Odney, 08/25/18, 6:30PM CDT

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The No. 1 seed entering the playoffs concluded the BEL season in the same place it started.


Great Plains, 2018 Bantam Elite League Major champions.

The Plains Remain Great In Championship Win

Great Plains has officially forgotten how to lose. 

Even with a lackluster offensive performance, fatigue, and an inspired opponent at hand, Great Plains prevailed, slipping past the Bruins 1-0 on Saturday afternoon to claim the Bantam Elite League Major championship.

The win marks the 12th straight victory for Great Plains, as the team suffered its last loss on Aug. 5 by a score of 2-1 to Team North Dakota.  

The lone goal came from Gavin O'Connell, a change from the typical cream-and-black-clad scoring combination of Maddox Fleming, Charlie Stramel, or Jimmy Clark. O'Connell and linemates Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Godbout completed a slick passing sequence that concluded with O'Connell expertly depositing a Snuggerud feed into the lower-left corner of the Bruins' net. 

Defensively, goaltending tandem Ryan Wallin and Niklas Ericks combined for 15 saves to earn the shutout for Great Plains. Marko Belak and Ethan Dahlmeir stopped 23 of 24 shots in the tough-luck loss.  


Great Plains forward Jimmy Snuggerud assisted on the game's lone goal, scored by Gavin O'Connell.


Great Plains celebrates after the final horn sounds on its 1-0 victory over the Bruins on Saturday afternoon.

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