Cranbrook, BC ~ The Cranbrook Bucks used a last minute game winner to come from behind and defeat the Victoria Grizzlies 3-2 on Wednesday night from the Western Financial Place in Cranbrook.
In the first period, Victoria opened the game by outshooting the Bucks 6-1 through the first period. That lopsided start was echoed by Reegan Hiscock (24th) finding the back of the goal for Victoria at 5:07. Seamus Latta won a faceoff and Hiscock cut through the circle to take the puck and wire it top shelf for a Grizzlies early lead.
That goal seemed to wake the Bucks up a little bit and they outplayed Victoria for the next ten minutes and would tie it at 12:41 off a net front scramble. It was Matthew Gilmore (6th) who was the man finishing it off with Oliver Auyeung-Ashton in desperation scramble mode.
The game would go to four on four time when Evan Stastny for the Grizzlies took a holding minor and Patrick Murphy for the Bucks took an embellishment minor on the same play at 17:23.
Victoria took advantage of the open ice when Tom Molson found Landon Mackie (14th) in the near circle and his one timer snuck it’s way through Cranbrook netminder Kolton Bourret and the Grizzlies lead 2-1 after 20.
An tightly contested second period would follow and neither team would take advantage of several opportunities leaving it at 2-1 after forty.
A pivotal third period follow and it was Cranbrook scoring twice unanswered in the final ten minutes to steer the game to victory. First it was Jacob Fletcher cutting out of the left side corner and slotting a puck past the poke check of Auyeung-Ashton (13th) before Cranbrook got a late winner from Matthew Gilmore (7th) when he cleaned up a rebound at the front of the goal off a Bryce Sookro point shot. That goal came with 33 seconds remaining.
Victoria had one last chance to tie it 6 on 5 however Tom Molson’s tip on goal was turned aside.
Kolton Bourret took home third star of the game, making 31 saves while his counterpart Oliver Auyeung-Ashton was awarded second star after a 39 save performance. Matthew Gilmore was a deserving first star with two tallies including the late game winner.
Victoria continues their road trip on Friday night with a meeting with the Surrey Eagles at 7:00 PM PT before closing it out on Saturday at 4:30 at the George Preston Arena when they meet the Langley Rivermen.
