The Cranbrook Bucks owe goalie Braedyn McIntosh a few taps on the pads following Friday’s 3-1 over the Vernon Vipers.
The Bucks opened first period action tentatively, but managed to start tilting the ice in their favour after an early penalty kill. Cranbrook would get a power play chance of their own around the halfway mark of the opening frame, and Joseph Blackley converted a point shot to put Cranbrook in a 1-0 lead. Vernon failed to beat McIntosh on 13 attempts, and Cranbrook’s 1-0 lead held steady at intermission.
Cranbrook added to their lead at 4:04 of the second period with a Sam Belanger point blast, his first goal with the Bucks put his team up 2-0. Vernon was handed plenty of chances to get back into the game, they had four power play opportunities through the middle frame, but failed to tally on any of them. Cranbrook added one more goal from Kaslo Ferner to go up 3-0, while McIntosh turned aside another 15 shots in the second period to preserve a 3-0 lead at intermission.
Vernon sent another barrage of shots toward the Cranbrook net in the third period, but would only be able to settle for breaking McIntosh’s shutout bid. Vipers forward Isaac Tremblay slipped a loose puck past the downed goaltender on a late third period scramble to put the road team on the board. However, that would be all the offense Vernon was able to muster, and the Bucks walked away with a 3-1 win, their first win over Vernon this season.
Friday’s win lifts Cranbrook’s record to 13-14-1. Vernon outshot the Bucks 42-35. On special teams, the Bucks went 2/3 on the power play and 6/6 on the penalty kill.
Cranbrook hosts the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday night in their final game before the BCHL’s holiday break.
Buck Tracks:
- Braedyn McIntosh stops 41 of 42 shots.
- Jaden Fodchuk suits up for 100th BCHL game.
