The Cranbrook Bucks and Langley Rivermen played to a photo finish Sunday afternoon, with Langley taking a 3-2 overtime win.
The Bucks, suiting up for their third road game in as many days, suffered an early first period setback. The Rivermen opened the scoring just twenty-six seconds into the opening frame via Oskar Komarov’s eighth goal of the season. Cranbrook wound up outshooting Langley 15-12 through the first period, but trailed 1-0 at intermission.
Cranbrook held the momentum through most of the second period, and they were finally rewarded near the fifteen-minute barrier when Blake Cotton tied the game at 1-1. The deadlock remained active through forty minutes.
Third period action was a pick ’em. The Rivermen restored their one goal lead at 3:18 with a tally from Tuukka Heiskanen. Cranbrook netted a response from newcomer Bobby Bartell just three minutes later to tie the game 2-2. Neither team gave an inch the rest of the way through regulation, prompting 3-on-3 overtime.
The overtime winner came at 6:52 from Langley’s Carsten Kayter, sealing a 3-2 win for the home team while the Bucks would settle for a single point to take three of six available points through their weekend.
Sunday’s overtime loss puts Cranbrook’s record at 14-18-2, the Rivermen outshot the Bucks 32-31. On special teams, the Bucks went 0/2 on the power play and 1/2 on the penalty kill.
The Bucks are back on the ice for another pair of road games next weekend, starting January 12 in Merritt versus the Centennials.
Buck Tracks:
- Bobby Bartell scores 1st career BCHL goal
- 3 pts through last 2 games for Blake Cotton (2g,1a)
