The Cranbrook Bucks still have plenty of fight left, as was evident in Wednesday’s clutch 4-3 win in game four to fend off elimination at the hands of the West Kelowna Warriors.
The Bucks went into game four at a 3-0 deficit in the first round series, and they came out swinging with fourteen shots in the first period. Cranbrook opened the scoring just past the halfway mark with Shane Baker’s second goal of the series to go up 1-0. The Warriors netted a response in short order from Dylan Krayer to tie the game 1-1 ahead of intermission.
West Kelowna took the lead just past the opening minute of the second period thanks to a Felix Caron goal. That would end up being the only tally during a defensive-minded middle frame, the Warriors led 2-1 after forty minutes.
Once again, the Warriors found the net early to start the period for the final frame. Viggo Nordstrom scored at 1:47 to put West Kelowna up 3-1, pumping a sense of urgency into the Cranbrook bench. With their season on the line, the Bucks began to dig. Tyler Wishart scored less than one minute later to put the Bucks back to within one goal of the Warriors at a 3-2 deficit. Cranbrook managed to tie the game at 7:07 when Jack Silich converted a Noah Urness pass on a rush, putting the game at a 3-3 deadlock. The Bucks completed the comeback with less than five minutes remaining when Loke Sodergren bounced a puck past the West Kelowna goalie from behind the net, to put Cranbrook up 4-3 in the dying minutes. West Kelowna staged a late push, but it fell short and the Bucks managed to earn a 4-3 victory in a must-win game four.
The Bucks trail the series 3-1 after Wednesday’s win, they outshot the Warriors 42-36. On special teams, the Bucks finished 2/3 on the power play and 3/3 on the penalty kill.
Cranbrook is back in action for game five, another must win showdown, in West Kelowna Friday night.
Buck Tracks:
- BCHL debut for Sam Lyne.
- 3 points for Loke Sodergren (1g,2a)
– Article includes photo from Trevor Crawley
