The Cranbrook Bucks took the league-leading Penticton Vees to a shootout on Saturday night, falling 2-1 despite heroic efforts from netminder Nathan Airey, who turned aside 41 shots in regulation and overtime.
Captain Rhys Bentham opened the scoring for the Bucks in the second period, before Jackson Nieuwendyk evened up the contest in the final period.
Nick Peluso and Aydar Suniev scored in the shootout as both teams traded chances back and forth, but it was Thomas Pichette who tallied as the final shooter for the Vees to take the win.
Earlier on Friday, the Bucks took a 3-1 win over the West Kelowna Warriors, as Donovan Frias posted a goal and assist to lead the Herd to the win.
After a scoreless first period, Blake Cotton and Cameron Kungle doubled up the lead over the Warriors in the middle frame. Michael Salandra responded for West Kelowna in the third period, but Frias posted the insurance goal to put the game away in the final 10 minutes of the affair.
Airey stood tall in net, turning aside 24 pucks, while Cayden Hamming made 25 saves for the Warriors.
The Bucks currently sit in second place in the Interior Conference, with 52 points on a 25-10-1-1 record. The Vees are far and away on top of the BCHL, with 68 points and only three regulation losses on the season.
