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The Cranbrook Bucks did what many thought would be their biggest challenge of the year – get past the best team in the BCHL in the first round of the playoffs – and they did.
The Bucks eliminated the West Kelowna Warriors in five games of a best-of-seven affair, shutting out their opponents 2-0 Friday night to move on to the Interior West final against Salmon Arm.
Scoring, however, wouldn’t come until the third period when Cranbrook’s Nathan Simm scored the opener just past the six-minute mark, his first of the playoffs with help from Camden Charron.
Then with 38 seconds left, the Bucks Adam Csabi scored his third of the playoffs, providing an insurance goal to seal the win for Cranbrook.
The win by the Bucks, the lowest seed in this year’s playoffs, followed impressive back-to-back home wins on Tuesday and Wednesday at Western Financial Place.
Bucks’ goaltender Jason Tremblay was named the game’s first star, turning aside all 33 shots he faced.
With Salmon Arm’s third place regular season finish in the division, they’ll have home ice advantage in Round 2, opening the series in the Shuswap, likely next weekend.
In the six games played during the regular season, the Deer have a four-two edge in wins.
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