Now, that’s how you start a season!
The Cranbrook Bucks opened their 2022-23 BCHL regular season on the road Friday night in triumphant fashion, earning a 5-2 win over the Merritt Centennials.
Neither team was budging through the first ten minutes of the game. The Bucks managed to open the scoring just past the midway mark of the first period, Luke Pfoh earned Cranbrook’s first goal of the season with a backhander in close to Merritt goalie Hayden Dunford to go up 1-0. Cranbrook bumped their lead to 2-0 just shy of the fifteen-minute mark on a harmless looking shot from the boards from Jack Henry – his first goal in the BCHL. The Bucks added one more goal from a Jarrod Smith wrist shot before the buzzer to take a 3-0 lead into the second period.
Cranbrook carried their momentum into the second period, and they were rewarded with a goal from BCHL newcomer Jack Silich at 5:12 to push their lead to 4-0. Bucks veteran Kellan Hjartarson tallied again for Cranbrook at 8:47, giving the Bucks a 5-0 lead and signalling a change in Merritt’s crease with Merik Erickson replacing Dunford. The goaltender swap appeared to breathe some life into the Centennials, they finally beat Bucks goalie Nathan Airey at 9:59 via a Connor Farren marker to cut Cranbrook’s lead to 5-1. The Cents added one more at 15:48 from Diego Johnson to make it a three-goal game at a 5-2 Cranbrook lead to start the third period.
Both teams were able to stand pat in the third period as play settled down at each side of the rink. Cranbrook was able to hold on to topple the Centennials 5-2 to open their regular season on a winning note.
Cranbrook’s Nathan Airey turned aside 28 of 30 shots from the Centennials en route to the opening-day victory.
The Bucks continue their road swing to open the campaign Saturday night in Penticton to get their first look at the Vees – last year’s Fred Page Cup champions.
Buck Tracks:
- Jack Henry and Jack Silich each earn first goals of their BCHL careers.
- Two points for Kellan Hjartarson (1g,1a)
- Bucks name their leadership group – Rhys Bentham to serve second year as captain. Cam Kungle, Noah Quinn and Kellan Hjartarson are assistants
