Farren’s three point night propels Cents to 5-3 win

The Merritt Centennials came out much stronger on Saturday night compared to the night before, with the first shot on goal coming only a few minutes into the contest, instead of twelve.

Merritt would also score the first marker of the contest as Connor Farren and Jakob Jones would work a beauty 2-on-1 with Jones tipping it home past Owen Albers.

Head Coach Curtis Toneff was playing a gut feeling as he started Colton Phillips-Watts in net and PW would make his coach look good after 20 minutes, stopping all 16 shots he faced.

It would be a penalty filled second period with both teams cutting ruts to the sin-bin.

Goals would also come in bunches with the Cents striking on the powerplay, a Jacksenn Hungle shot would be blocked, but the puck fell perfectly to Davide Patella who beat Albers blocker side.

Trail would then respond with two quicks goals, first from Zach Michaelis and then Josh Schenk on a delayed penalty.

Following the Schenk marker, Mark Thurston would bulge the twine only 23 seconds later to restore the Merritt lead.

Late in the frame, Connor Farren would snipe one glove side on the 5-on-3 powerplay to make it 4-2 after 40 minutes.

Farren would bulge the twice for his second of the night in the third to extend the Cents lead to 5-2.

Trail would get one back late in the frame curtesy of Joel Barton but that’s as close as they would come, final 5-3 Merritt.

PW would stop 48/51 in the win,

Cents are back in action next Friday in Penticton.