After two close calls in Wenatchee, the Cranbrook Bucks managed to end their three-game road trip on a winning note Sunday afternoon with an impressive 5-3 comeback win over the West Kelowna Warriors Sunday afternoon.
West Kelowna took control of the game in the first period. The Warriors cashed in on a power play after a checking-from-behind penalty to Jaden Fodchuk to take an early 1-0 lead with Chas Dafoe’s 11th goal of the season at 5:31. Later in the period, another West Kelowna power play yielded a goal – this time from Cameron Hicklin at 9:57. The Bucks had multiple power-play chances through the bottom half of the opening frame, but failed to convert on any of them and trailed 2-0 after twenty minutes.
The game took a calmer pace in the second period. The Bucks finally capitalized on a power play at the midway mark of the middle frame via Tyson Dyck’s 20th goal of the season, cutting the Warriors’ lead in half. After forty minutes, the Bucks found themselves down 2-1, and facing a potential three-game losing streak.
Things looked bleak for the Bucks halfway through the third period when West Kelowna’s Tyler Cristall put his team up 3-1 at 9:57, cue Cranbrook’s comeback. Jarrod Smith got things rolling for the Bucks at 11:39, putting Cranbrook within striking distance at a 3-2 score. Later, Tyson Dyck tied the game with his second goal of the afternoon after tipping a Cole Assailly point blast. Ninety seconds later, Johnny Johnson caught a pass from Dyck in front of West Kelowna’s net and tucked the puck past Justin Katz to put the Bucks up 4-3 with just over one-minute left in regulation. Kellan Hjartarson iced the game for Cranbrook with an empty netter, and the Bucks completed a miraculous comeback to take a 5-3 win.
The Bucks are heading home after finishing their road trip with a 1-2 record, their overall record improves to 18-13-2 after Sunday’s win and the Warriors drop to 21-13-0. Cranbrook’s power play finished 1/6, West Kelowna was 2/5 with the man advantage. The Bucks held the edge in the final shots count at 24-22.
Cranbrook closes the first month of 2022 next weekend in a double-header at home with the league-leading Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29.
Buck Tracks:
- Tyson Dyck becomes the first Bucks player to score 20 goals in a season.
- Four-game point streak for Johnny Johnson (game-winning goal vs Warriors Sunday).
- Third multi-point game of the season for Cole Assailly (2 assists vs Warriors Sunday).
- Bucks lead season series 3-2.
