PHOTO: Timothy Matwey
CRANBROOK BC – Despite a 40 save night from Aaron Trotter, it was an early goal from Zeth Kindrachuk in the opening frame, turned out to be the difference as the Cranbrook Bucks collected their first win in the best-of-seven series, blanking the Prince George Spruce Kings by a 3-0 score. The Spruce Kings lead the series two games to one.
1st PERIOD:
CRA: Just over a minute into the hockey game, Zeth Kindrachuk was the recipient of an Arman Bhabra turnover and Kindrachuk took the puck around the goal to the right circle and went top corner on Aaron Trotter to give the Buck an early lead. Kindrachuk’s second of the playoffs was unassisted at 1:12.
CRA: In the final minutes of the opening stanza on a Buck power-play, AJ Vasko got the puck at the top of the right circle and rifled a wrist shot through traffic and top corner on Trotter to double the Bucks lead. Vasko’s first in the playoffs was assisted by both Tyson Dyck and Rhys Bentham at 18:05.
SHOTS:
PG 6 CRA 15
2nd PERIOD:
CRA: Early in the second stanza, on another Cranbrook man advantage, a Kellan Hjartarson shot was initially stopped by Trotter, but the rebound found Luke Pfoh at the left of the goal and put it by a sprawling Trotter to make it 3-0. Pfoh’s first playoff goal was assisted by Hjartarson and AJ Vasko at 2:26.
SHOTS:
PG 7 CRA 18
3rd PERIOD:
NO SCORING
SHOTS:
PG 14 CRA 10
FINAL SCORE:
PG 0 CRA 3 (PG leads series 2-1)
FINAL SHOTS:
PG 27 CRA 43
POWER-PLAYS:
PG: 0-3 CRA 2-5
3 STARS:
1.CRA: Nathan Airey (27 Save Shutout)
2.CRA: AJ Vasko (1G 1A)
3.CRA: Zeth Kindrachuk (1G)
FORTIS BC ENERGY PLAYER OF THE GAME:
CRA: Cole Assailly
NEXT GAME:
Game 4 of the best of seven series is tomorrow night at Western Financial Place. Puck drop is slated for 6:00 PM PDT.
