A busy stretch of the 2024-25 schedule is off to a good start for the Cranbrook Bucks thanks to Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Kings in Powell River.
The home team was able to strike first with an early first period goal. Jason Davenport opened the scoring at 3:26 to put the Kings up 1-0. The teams hit a stalemate through most of the opening frame until another Powell River goal in the late goings off the stick of Christian Maro to lift the Sunshine Coast club to a 2-0 lead at 15:25. The Bucks managed to get one back just over a minute later when Rasmus Svartstrom was credited for a tally after a bouncing puck found its way into the Kings net. Powell River held a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes.
It took half a period for either team to start generating offense, and it was the road team who began to find its motor. A Blake Cotton tip near the midway mark of the second period lifted Cranbrook to a 2-2 tie. The Bucks managed to take the lead at 15:28 thanks to Kaslo Ferner’s fifth goal of the season and carried their 3-2 lead into the third period.
Cranbrook pulled away in the third period, outshooting and outscoring the Kings. Goals from Jordan Murray and Nathan Simm put the Bucks on cruise control and gave way to a 5-2 victory at the Hap Parker Arena.
Saturday’s win lifts Cranbrook’s record to 5-1-0 and puts them on a two game winning streak. On special teams, the Bucks went 0/3 on the power play while their penalty kill was 2/2. Cranbrook also won the shots battle 38-30.
The Bucks wont have to wait long to get back to action, they get started with their first of two neutral-site games at the 2024 BCHL Showcase in Abbotsford versus the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Sunday night. They’ll finish Tuesday morning against the Nanaimo Clippers.
Buck Tracks:
- Rasmus Svartstrom (1g) has 5 goals in 6 games
- Jaden Cholette stops 28 of 30 shots, remains undefeated (4-0)
- 2 point games for Blake Cotton, Jacob Fletcher and Matthew Gilmore