It took a little longer than they would have liked, but the Cranbrook Bucks finally solved the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Friday night.
The two clubs had two prior meetings heading into Friday’s game, both resulted in Salmon Arm victories via low-scoring and systematic defensive hockey. First period action looked quite similar as to what was seen in their first two games, neither was able to break the 0-0 deadlock thanks to great goaltending from Salmon Arm’s Matthew Tovell and Cranbrook’s Nathan Airey. The Bucks outshot Salmon Arm 13-7 through twenty minutes.
The Bucks finally found a way through Tovell in the second period. Cranbrook captain Rhys Bentham opened the scoring effort on a solo rush to the goal and a well-placed shot at 7:40, putting the Bucks in a 1-0 lead. A Jack Silich goal on an odd-man rush vaulted Cranbrook to a 2-0 lead at 16:39. That score held steady through the intermission, poising the Bucks to extend their winning streak to six-games.
Cranbrook held off a late barrage from Salmon Arm and managed to put the game away in the latter stages of third period action. Bucks forward Donovan Frias netted his first of two tallies at 14:26 to put Cranbrook in a 3-0 lead. The Silverbacks busted Airey’s shutout bid with a goal from Rauol Boilard at 17:30, this would wind up as the Cranbrook tender’s lone blemish of the evening. The Bucks added supplemental late goals from Kellan Hjartarson on an empty net and Donovan Frias in the dying seconds to finish the night with a 5-1 victory.
Friday’s win bumps Cranbrook’s record to 18-8-1 and they’re on a six-game winning streak, they also won the shots battle 35-32.
The Bucks head into their final game before the BCHL holiday break Saturday night at home versus the Merritt Centennials.
Buck Tracks:
- 2 goals for Donovan Frias, 6 points in last 4 games.
- 2 assists for Jeremy Tremblay, first 2 BCHL points.
- 1 assist for Noah Quinn, 2 points behind Tyson Dyck for most all time (80).
