The Cranbrook Bucks are back in the winner’s circle after going the distance for a 2-1 overtime win over the Spruce Grove Saints Friday night.
The Saints survived an early barrage of shots from the Bucks through the first period. Cranbrook fired 20 shots through the opening frame compared to only four from the Saints, but the game remained at a 0-0 deadlock at first intermission.
Spruce Grove managed to break the tie early in the second period when a scramble at the Cranbrook crease led to a rebound goal from Ryan Johnstone to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. The Bucks added another 10 shots in the middle frame, but puck luck was not on their side and they trailed 1-0 after forty minutes.
Cranbrook finally caught a break in the late goings of the third period. A lucky bounce off the boards in the Saints zone left Patrick Murphy with a freebee for an empty net try, and he made good of it with just under five minutes remaining in regulation to vault the game into a 1-1 tie. The game remained at a stalemate through the final few minutes, and overtime was needed to settle the score. It would be an unlikely hero for the Bucks Friday night, with defenseman Sam Belanger netting the OT winner on an odd man rush into the Saints zone to give the Bucks a 2-1 win.
Friday’s triumph lifts Cranbrook’s record to 18-13-2, the Bucks outshot Spruce Grove 48-30. On special teams, the Bucks went 0/4 on the power play and 2/2 on the penalty kill.
Cranbrook will meet the Saints again on the road Tuesday night.
Buck Tracks:
- Sam Belanger’s OT winner is his 1st goal of the season.
- Jaden Cholette stops 29 of 30 shots.
