Cranbrook, BC (February 28, 2025) – Luke Bibby scored twice and Zach Zahara stopped 31 shots but it wasn’t enough as the Brooks Bandits fell 5-4 to the Bucks in overtime at Western Financial Place on Friday.
The loss snapped the Bandits winning streak at four games, who sit four points back of 1st place Penticton with a game in hand. The Vees also lost in overtime on Friday, 4-3 to the Spruce Grove Saints.
The Bandits got on the board first after the halfway point of the 1st period as forward Nathan Free fired the point wrist shot behind Bucks starter Jaden Cholette on the powerplay to make it 1-0. Late in the period off a big blocker save by Zahara, forward Parker Lalonde set up forward Luke Bibby on a 2-on-1 to score with 1.8 seconds left on the clock to make it 2-0 Bandits.
In the middle frame, Bucks forward Jacob Fletcher got one back for the Bucks just over three minutes in on the powerplay. But the Bandits responded, as Lalonde stripped the Bucks defender at centre ice and set up a breakaway that he made no mistake on, firing the wrist shot blocker side to make it 3-1 Bandits. Howeber, less than one minute later, Bucks forward Matthew Gilmore got the Bucks close once again as he scored his 5th of the season to make it a 3-2 game. Yet again, just moments later, Patrick Murphy finished off a Rasmus Svartstrom pass on the powerplay to make it 3-3.
In the 3rd period, Bibby took advantage of another Cranbrook turnover on a Bandits penalty kill, getting breakaway and scoring to make it 4-3. Late in the period, Jacob Fletcher tied the game on a rebound with just over four minutes left to bring the game back level 4-4.
The game needed overtime as the Bucks controlled possession, Zahara made seven big stops including a breakaway chance but it wasn’t enough as Rasmus Svartstrom scored his 36th of the year to win the game for the Bucks 5-4. It was reviewed for kicking motion, but the goal stood.
The Bandits are back at home to take on the Chilliwack Chiefs tomorrow, Saturday March 1st, at 7 PM. Grab your tickets now at tickets.brooksbandits.net.
