The Cranbrook Bucks’ BCHL post-season run is over, after falling 5-1 in a heartbreaking Game 7 loss against the West Kelowna Warriors on Tuesday (April 16) in the Okanagan.
Battling back from a 3-0 series deficit, The Herd won three in a row to force a final deciding game in a winner-take-all to advance to the second round, however, it was the Warriors who prevailed.
On the road in the Okanagan, the Bucks gave up four goals before responding the final period to break the Warriors shutout.
Brennan Nelson tallied the Warriors’ only goal in the first period, scoring with only 19 seconds left in the frame.
West Kelowna struck twice in just under two minutes in the second period, as Viggo Nordström posted a powerplay goal, followed up by another effort from Dylan Krayer.
Felix Caron notched the game’s fourth goal early in the third period, for a commanding lead.
Julian Frias put the Bucks up on the board with a shorthanded goal just over the halfway mark of the third period.
With just over four minutes left in the game, and facing a four-goal deficit, the Bucks pulled goaltender Carter Capton for the extra attacker.
However, less than a minute later, Jackson Kyrkostas found the empty net to seal up the Warriors’ 5-1 win.
West Kelowna put a ton of pucks on goal, outshooting the Bucks 37-19. Capton made 33 saves for the Bucks, while Warriors netminder Matthew DellaRusso made 18 stops.
Bucks forward Jack Silich finised the post-season as the Bucks top scorer, with four goals and three assists in seven games, earning BCHL Star of the Week honours.
The playoff exit is also the end of the BCHL careers for the overage 20-year-olds, including Silich, Joe Blackley, Loke Sodergren, Braedyn McIntosh and Jaden Fodchuk.
Silich has an NCAA college commitment to Ferris State University in Michigan for next season, while Blackley is committed to Yale University.