BRAMPTON (Interstat) — The Brantford Bulldogs will visit the Brampton Steelheads in minor league hockey action Friday at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario. Brantford brings a 9-3 record into the game, while Brampton is 1-9. The Bulldogs have won two straight and are coming off a 5-2 victory over Soo. Cullen McCrate scored twice and recorded four shots on goal in that win, while Aiden Kelly added a goal and an assist and Jason Musa had a goal and an assist. McCrate is the player to watch for Brantford. He has nine points over his last seven games, including a two-goal, four-shot effort against Soo, a goal and two assists in a 10-4 win over Kingston and two assists in a 5-2 win over Peterborough. He also had an assist in a 1-0 win over Barrie. McCrate recorded seven penalty minutes in a 4-3 shootout loss to Ottawa and two penalty minutes in a 10-4 win over Kingston. Brantford’s recent results also include a 6-3 win over North Bay, a 5-3 win at Oshawa and a 6-0 win over Guelph. The Bulldogs’ losses were a 4-3 shootout defeat to Ottawa, a 4-2 setback to Kingston and a 3-0 loss at Owen Sound. McCrate has been a consistent offensive presence and will be a key focus for Brampton’s defense.

Brampton enters after its first win of the season, a 5-2 victory over Kingston. Stepan Kuryachenkov had a goal and an assist with four shots in that game, while Geno Carcone had a goal and an assist and Oskari Ahmajarvi made 21 saves on 23 shots. Kuryachenkov is the player to watch for Brampton. He has three points over his last six games and recorded four shots on goal in the teams’ earlier meeting this season. He also recorded two penalty minutes in the win over Kingston and five penalty minutes in another game against Kingston. Brantford won that earlier meeting 5-4 in a shootout. The Steelheads lost their first nine games before defeating Kingston. Those losses included a 3-2 overtime defeat to Saginaw, a 5-4 shootout loss to Brantford, a 4-2 setback at Sudbury, a 6-3 loss at Soo, a 5-2 loss at North Bay, a 4-1 loss at Niagara, a 3-2 loss to Oshawa and a 6-2 loss to Ottawa. Brampton will look to build on its most recent result and tighten defensively after a difficult start to the season. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Brantford in their next game.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-1 Brantford victory. The over/under for the game is 6.5.