The Cranbrook Bucks are back in the win column after a great effort Saturday night in Vernon. The Bucks entered Saturday’s matchup with Friday’s 7-1 setback in Penticton still fresh in their minds, but grinded out an impressive 4-2 victory over a strong Vipers squad.
In the first period, a Bauer Morrissey rebound goal set the pace to give the road team a 1-0 lead at 3:08. Cranbrook’s leading scorer Tyson Dyck added his 12th goal of the season at 8:06 to give Cranbrook a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes.
A trio of original Bucks worked together to tally the lone goal of the second period. Heyden Gelbard netted his first of the season with linemates Zeth Kindrachuk and Jarrod Smith picking up helpers. The Bucks led 3-0 heading into the third period despite being outshot 23-21
The Vipers would finally strike in the third period, Luke Lavery’s first of the season ended Bucks goalie Nathan Airey’s shutout bid at 4:38. That goal seemed to spur momentum for Vernon as they were able to tally again just nine-seconds later, this time off the stick of JoJo Tanaka-Campbell. The Vipers fired 13 shots in the third period, but Andrew King sealed the win for Cranbrook late in the game with an empty net goal to preserve a 4-2 Bucks victory.
Nathan Airey was sharp in the Bucks’ win, turning aside 34 of 36 shots from the Vipers, Vernon won the shots battle 36-28. Cranbrook’s special teams ended 0/4 on the power play and 3/3 on the penalty kill.
The win lifts the Bucks to a 10-8-1, .533% record at 6th in the Interior Conference. Cranbrook is back on the road next weekend for three straight games versus the Prince George Spruce Kings on December 9, 10 and 11.
Buck Tracks:
- 1st goal of the season for Hayden Gelbard.
- 3 points in last 4 games for Zeth Kindrachuk.
- First ever regular season game between Bucks and Vipers.
- First multi point game of the season for Hayden Gelbard, Jarrod Smith.
