The Cranbrook Bucks scored early and often to a 9-0 romp over the West Kelowna Warriors to open the 2024-25 regular season at Western Financial Place.
Both Samuel Lyne and Kaslo Ferner scored a pair of goals and tallied one assist, while Jacob Fletcher notched one goal and two helpers, while newcomer Tanner Fennell was in on three goals.
New Bucks netminder Kolton Bourret made 21 saves for the shutout.
Blake Cotton put The Herd on the board early in the first period, while Fletcher doubled up less than two minutes later. Matthew Gilmore tallied a powerplay goal to give the Bucks a 3-0 lead just after the halfway point of the frame.
The two teams held each other scoreless for much of the second period, however, Lyne got his first of the night with five minutes to go. Ferner added his first of the contest after banging in his own rebound on a shorthanded breakaway a few minutes later.
That chased West Kelowna goaltender Dawson Labre from the net, who was replaced by Zack Ferris, to close out the remainder of the middle frame.
Early in the third, Patrick Murphy tallied on the man-advantage, while Lyne got his second of the night with a beautiful tip for the touchdown (seventh) goal five minutes later.
Warriors defenceman Kaiden Schaupmeyer was ejected from game after instigating a fight, earning a two-minute minor and a five-minute major at the 7:11 mark of the third period.
The Herd continued to pour it on, as Ferner got his second goal of the night, while newcomer Rasmus Svartström also scored, both of which were on the man-advantage.
All told, the Bucks put 45 shots on goal; Labre made 19 saves, while Ferris made 17 stops for the Warriors.
The Herd's special teams was clicking all night, with four goals in five opportunities on the powerplay. On the flip side, the Bucks also successfully killed off three penalties.
