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Game Recap: Bucks Win in West Kelowna

The Cranbrook Bucks are back in the win column after busting out of their mini slump Saturday night in West Kelowna with a 2-1 win over the Warriors.

The two familiar foes battled hard in the first period, but both sides failed to break away from the scoreless deadlock. The Bucks outshot the Warriors 13-7 in the first twenty minutes, but both goalies were on their game.

All of Saturday’s scoring came in the second period. Kellan Hjartarson opened the scoring for Cranbrook at 3:36. Tyson Dyck put the Bucks up 2-0 one-second after a Cranbrook power play had expired at 8:30. Bucks goalie Nathan Airey had his shutout bid snapped at 13:45 with Warriors sniper Alex Van Houtte-Cachero’s ninth goal of the season. The score was 2-1 heading into the third period.

Cranbrook turned to their defence to lead the way through the third period, and they managed to keep a strong Warriors offence off the scoreboard. Hostilities seemed to get the better of the home team in the later stages of the final frame. West Kelowna forward Tyler Cristall was assessed a match penalty at 17:21 and was tossed from the game, this essentially deflated West Kelowna’s comeback hopes. The Bucks managed to hang on for an impressive 2-1 victory, putting an end to their two-game winless streak.

With the win, Cranbrook’s record improves to 9-6-1 with a .594 winning percentage, that places them 6th in the Interior Conference standings. The Bucks outshot the Warriors 40-33 and finished 0/4 on the power play. The Warriors have lost two of their last three games.

Cranbrook returns to Western Financial Place to face their Kootenay rivals, the Trail Smoke Eaters. Puck drops Wednesday, December 1 at 7:00 pm.

Buck Tracks:

  • Bucks vs Warriors season series tied 2-2.
  • 3 of Kellan Hjartarson’s 6 goals this season have come against West Kelowna.
  • 1 goal for Tyson Dyck, he has points in 8 of Cranbrook’s last 9 games.
  • Cranbrook’s road record improves to 4-3.