Forget about a monkey, Brantford Bulldogs forward Adam Nemec got a gorilla off his back on Saturday.

Playing in his 14th OHL game, the highly touted Czech import was finally able to score his first goal in a 4-2 loss against the Brampton Steelheads.

“I was so happy, it was kind of a relief,” said Nemec, who was visibly excited and relieved after scoring but disappointed the team didn’t win.

“I love backhands and I have good chemistry with (Xavier) Lieb. He got me the puck and I wanted to score and I scored so I was happy.

“I hope I’m going to score some more.”

Brantford selected Nemec in the first round (13th overall) of the 2026 Canadian Hockey League import draft. Hailing from Vsetin, Czechia, he followed in the skate strides of former successful Czechia born Bulldogs Adam Jiricek, Tomas Hamara, Adam Benak and Vladimir Dravecky.

The six-foot-one, 175-pound winger had talked to those former players so he knew what he was getting into.

“They told me it’s an unbelievable place to play hockey,” Nemec said of playing at the Madhouse on Market.

“It’s the best organization in the OHL. I’m happy with the stuff the guys told me. It’s an unbelievable organization.”

It’s not as if Nemec hasn’t had his chances – or a goal. With five assists in 13 games, Nemec did score a huge goal when he was the only player to put the puck in the net in a 5-4 shootout win against Brampton on Oct. 2.

“The boys call me the ‘Shootout Demon’,” he said of the nickname he’s been given.

“I love shootouts, it’s my game. I have some moves that I’m doing and it’s working out. I’m glad I can help the team in those moments.”

Prior to his Brantford drought, Nemec had scored everywhere he’d played in his homeland.

During two seasons at U15, Nemec scored 46 goals in 43 games. Then at U17, he tallied 50 goals in 68 games.

Playing internationally, Nemec has scored 27 times while playing in 45 contests.

“I scored a lot in my childhood and my career,” he said.

“I think I’m a fast shooter, a fast wing. I see the game well and I can score and put pucks in the net.”

Now that one goal has found the back of the net, is he confident more will come?

“One guy said after I score my first goal, it’s going to be like a domino,” Nemec said.

The game was scoreless through one period before Brampton’s Lucas DeMiglio and Nathan Amidovski scored for the Steelheads in the second. Nemec replied in the middle period for the Bulldogs.

Lieb, from Jack Good and Camden McCuaig, then scored early in the third to tie things up but shortly after that, on the power play, Stepan Kuryachenkov put Brampton back out front 3-2.

Kieran Witkowski sealed the game with an empty-net goal.

Brantford falls to 10-3-0-1 while Brampton improves to 2-8-1-1.

The Battalion were outshot 31-26 as Oskari Ahmajarvi earned the win and Vilmer Salen-Forsberg took the loss.

After a home-heavy start to the season, the Bulldogs will embark on a stretch that sees them play six straight games on the road.

Brantford is in Peterborough on Thursday at 7:05 p.m., in Ottawa on Friday at 7 p.m. and in Kingston on Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

DOG BITES . . . A little more perspective from Brantford’s 8-2 win on Friday against Brampton and the performances of Kaden McGregor and Jason Musa. McGregor scored four goals in the game, all on the power play, becoming the first player in franchise history with four power-play goals in a game. He also became just the third OHL player since 2000 to score four goals in a game on the man advantage, joining Christian Dvorak (London Knights, 2015) and Jonathan Cheechoo (Belleville Bulls, 2000). As well, McGregor tied the franchise record for overall goals in a single game with four. McGregor and Musa became the sixth and seventh players in franchise history to record four points in a game against the Steelheads . . . Abe Barnett and Owen DeGraff also scored Friday marking the first OHL goal for each . . . Aiden Kelly returned after missing Friday’s game due to illness while Jet Kwajah remained out due to illness. Musa took a heavy hit in Brampton and did not play Saturday. Brampton’s Troy Patton was given a five-minute major for a check to the head along with a game misconduct. On Saturday it was announced that he had been suspended two games . . . Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre took in the game with local Conservative candidate and soon-to-be former Brantford mayor, Kevin Davis. With the resignation of current MP Larry Brock, the area will see a by-election take place in the near future.

Sports reporter at The Brantford Expositor starting in 1999, sports editor since 2004, multiple Ontario Newspaper Awards winner and 2025 Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition inductee