Photo Credit: Tim Matwey
Another busy weekend on the road for the Cranbrook Bucks kicked off Friday night in Merritt, with the road warriors putting in a solid sixty-minutes to take a 4-0 win over the Centennials in the Nicola Valley.
The Bucks were without two of their top defencemen, Bauer Morrissey and Cole Assailly, Friday night – both are injured. In another storyline, Cranbrook’s crease was guarded by CSSHL U18 Yale callup Carter Capton – who made his BCHL debut in Merritt.
The Cranbrook Bucks were firing from all angles in the first period. The Bucks were able to spend plenty of time in Centennial territory throughout the opening frame, but Merritt goalie John Hicks was able to stand on his head to keep the game close. Cranbrook’s lone goal came at 17:19 when Luke Pfoh caught a pass from Tyson Dyck and rushed in for a breakaway marker. After twenty minutes, Cranbrook was outshooting Merritt 22-3 and boasted a 1-0 lead.
The Bucks kept the pressure on Merritt through the second period, while the Centennials continued to have difficulties directing any shots toward the Cranbrook net. Johnny Johnson was able to tally on a Bucks power play after finding the puck in a scramble in front of the Merritt cage, putting the road team up 2-0 at 7:10. Cranbrook appeared to be opening the floodgates at 8:50 when Declan Ride netted his first goal since coming to the Bucks via midseason trade, to put his team up 3-0. The offensive display would continue as the Bucks climbed to a 4-0 lead just past the halfway mark of the second period, when Carsyn Good blasted a shot from the blue line and beat Hicks cleanly for the first goal of his BCHL career. The Centennials were able to hold off Cranbrook’s attack through the rest of the second period, but they failed to generate any offense in the Bucks zone – giving rookie goalie Carter Capton a relatively easy first forty minutes in his BCHL debut, with his team maintaining a 4-0 lead.
Both clubs seemed content with speeding their way through the third period with the game well in hand for the Bucks. The Centennials had a few late chances, but they were unable to get any pucks past Carter Capton. The affiliate player-callup turned aside 15 shots from the Centennials to earn a 4-0 shutout win in the first start of his BCHL career.
The Bucks outshot Merritt 59-15. Cranbrook’s power play went 1/7, the Cents’ power play finished 0/2. Friday’s win gives Cranbrook a 21-16-2-2 record. They’ll continue their road trip Saturday in West Kelowna, with a two-game winning streak intact. The Bucks head home after Sunday’s game in Penticton.
Buck Tracks:
- AP goaltender Carter Capton becomes first goalie in Bucks history to earn a shutout in his 1st BCHL game (Capton is committed to the Bucks’ 2022-23 roster).
- BCHL debut for AP defenceman Ben Narwoski (Creston Valley Thunder Cats – KIJHL).
- 2 point night for Declan Ride (1g, 1a).
- 2 assists for Noah Quinn (8 points through 7 game point streak).
