A monumental season for the Cranbrook Bucks has come to a heartbreaking end.
The Bucks are eliminated from the BCHL playoffs after losing their first-round best-of-seven series to the Wenatchee Wild in six games, following Sunday’s 4-2 loss.
The Wild applied early pressure to open the scoring at 3:37 thanks to Ean Somoza’s first goal of the series to put Wenatchee in a 1-0 lead. The Bucks managed twelve shots on Wild goalie Andy Vlaha through the first period, but nothing was able to make it past the Wenatchee goalie. The Wild held a 1-0 lead through first intermission.
Wenatchee was able to double their lead early in the second period, an Arvega Hovsepyan goal made it a 2-0 game. Cranbrook mounted a flurry to get back into the game midway through the period. Goals from Luke Pfoh at 9:22 and Jack Silich at 14:02 vaulted the game into a 2-2 tie. The deadlock remained intact through forty minutes.
Third period action began with a familiar sight, a Wenatchee goal from Parker Murray to restore the club’s lead at 3-2. The Bucks continued to throw everything they had at the Wild, but Vlaha was unflappable in the Wenatchee crease. A late short-handed goal from Wenatchee captain Cade Littler pushed their lead to 4-2, and the Bucks were unable to gain any ground. The Wild took a 4-2 win to earn a trip the second round of the playoffs while completing a six-game first round upset of the Cranbrook Bucks.
Buck Tracks:
- Sunday’s loss marks the end of the junior hockey careers for the graduating 20-year old players; Rhys Bentham, Cam Kungle, Bauer Morrissey and Jeremy Tremblay.
- Thank you Bucks fans for another amazing season, see you all in September!
Lead photo by Trevor Crawley
