Friday’s preseason clash in Trail between the Powell River Kings and the Cranbrook Bucks packed plenty of entertainment, with the Bucks falling in a shootout after staging an impressive comeback.
Powell River was getting the benefit of friendly bounces through the opening frame, as was evident with their first flurry of offense.
The Kings netted two goals through a ten-second span just short of the midway mark of the opening frame to jump to a 2-0 lead.
Cranbrook cut the lead in half with a Brady Yakesh tally at 12:53 to make the score 2-1, but the Kings answered back with goals from Noah Eyre and Adam Mendelson to take a 4-1 lead into intermission.
The Bucks started to chip away at Powell River’s lead in the second period with goals from Joseph Blackley and Donovan Frias to see the Kings’ lead dwindle to one-goal at the second intermission.
The Kings did not let up in the third period, firing seventeen shots at Bucks goalie Danick Leroux.
However, it was Bucks forward Blake Cotton who provided the heroics with the tying goal at 13:15. The Bucks were able to shut the door through regulation and forced the game to move to overtime with the score tied 4-4.
The ten-minute overtime battle failed to settle the score, the winner would be decided by way of shootout.
Both teams packed plenty of skill to display through the shootout, but it was the Kings who would walk away triumphant with the 5-4 victory.
The Kings outshot the Bucks 44-35 Friday night, Cranbrook’s power play finished 0/2 while they successfully thwarted all four of Powell River’s power play attempts.
Cranbrook’s final preseason game represents their Western Financial Place homecoming. They face the Trail Smoke Eaters at home Saturday night in their exhibition finale.
Buck Tracks:
- 2 point nights for Blake Cotton, Kaslo Ferner and Donovan Frias.
- Final preseason road game
- Bucks return home Saturday night for final preseason game
