Centennials head to the island and come back with a weekend split

The Merritt Centennials were on the road over the weekend playing two games on the island and winning one of them.

The Cents took on the Powell River Kings on Friday and the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday.

Friday December 2, Merritt Centennials @ Powell River Kings

Early into the first period, the action got started with Caleb Bentham, of the Powell River Kings, taking a boarding penalty in the first three and a half minutes in. With the Merritt Centennials on the powerplay, Kyle Isenberg took advantage, scoring his second goal of the season. On the goal, Jackson Murphy-Johnson got an assist which is his first point as a Cent since joining the team on November 16. Answering quickly was the Kings. with Anthony Yu finishing off a two-on-one opportunity to tie the game back up at one a piece. The rest of the opening frame saw the Cents take three penalties but kill off all of them. Final after the first, 1-1.

The second period was arguably the best period the Centennials have played all season long. Davide Patella took a high-sticking penalty in the first minute of the period which was the teams real only mistake in the second period. Halfway through, at the 10:05 minute mark, the scoring floodgates opened up for the Centennials. Jaxson Murray scored his seventh goal of the season to give the Cents the 2-1 lead. With the goal, Murray extended his point streak to eight games. Nearly three minutes later, Carter Schmidt got the monkey off his back and scored his first goal of the season to extend the Cents lead to two. With 3:42 left in the second period, Diego Johnson scored his sixth of the season to push the Centennials lead even farther to 4-1. On Johnsons goal, Tyler Bates got the assist for his first point as a Centennial in his debut game. Final score after two, 4-1.

In the final 20 minutes the ice tilted and the momentum was fully with the Powell River Kings. Cameron Symons scored his third goal of the season at the 8:27 mark to cut the lead back down to 4-2. That’s how the scoring would stay until late in the period with the Kings pressing hard. Davide Patella would head to the sin bin for hooking and send the Kings to the man advantage. Jack Blanchett would find the back of the net for the powerplay goal to make it a 4-3 game with a minute and a half left in the game. Patella would make up for his mistake by potting an empty net, insurance goal with 22 seconds left in the game to give the Cents a two goal lead again. Final score 5-3.

Johnny Hicks stopped 36/39 in the win.

Saturday December 3, Merritt Centennials @ Nanaimo Clippers

The first period got off to a quick start for the Merritt Centennials. Walker Erickson entered double digits in the goal category this year, notching his tenth of the season just two minutes into the game to give the Cents the lead, 1-0. At the 14:12 mark of the opening frame, Mike Murtagh was sitting back door, collected a rebound and deposited it into the back of the net, tying this game up at one a piece. Connor Sullivan got the start for the Centennials this game and played, in what Head Coach Curtis Toneff said after the game, ‘other worldly’ stopping 24/25 shots and making great save after great save. Final after the first 1-1.

The second period was full of special team goals from both sides. At the 12:29 mark, Davide Patella took a tripping call which sent the Nanaimo Clippers to the powerplay. Brody Waters scored his 12 goal of the season, giving the Clippers the 2-1 lead on the powerplay. Charles Tardiff got called for roughing 15:07 into the period, giving the Cents the advantage but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Leading scorer for the Clippers, Kai Daniells scored shorthanded to bolster the lead to 3-1. A minute later, with Kyle Isenberg in the box for cross-checking, Tardiff would make it a 4-1 lead on the powerplay. With two minutes left, Ben Brant was sent to the sin bin for tripping which gave the Cents another powerplay, hoping this one would go better than the last. With 49 seconds left, Tristan Allen would send a wrist shot into traffic from the point and it would beat Shane Shelest to pull the game back 4-2. The goal was Allen’s first of the season. Final after two periods, 4-2.

The Clippers would keep their foot on the gas in the third period. A minute into the final 20 minutes, Michael Craig would once again make it a three goal lead, with his fifth of the season. Six and a half minutes later, Waters would score his second goal of the game and pushing the game seemingly out of reach, 6-2. Jackson Krill would put an end to the slide by taking the puck, cutting to the slot and unleashing his dynamic wrist shot for his 13 goal of the season, giving the Cents hope with a 6-3 game and 10:09 left in the third. Needing three goals and the clock ticking down, the Cents pulled Sullivan with five minutes left getting an extra attacker on the ice. That plan backfired on the Cents as they were unable to score and Murtagh slide the puck into the empty net for his second of the game. Final score, 7-3.

Connor Sullivan made 41/47 saves in the loss.

The Centennials will head back home for two games, Friday (December 9) against the Trail Smoke Eaters and Saturday (December 10) against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.