Centennials drop both games over the weekend

The Merritt Centennials wrapped up three games in three nights with back-to-back losses over the weekend.

Friday January 6, Merritt Centennials VS Cranbrook Bucks

The Cranbrook Bucks came out in the first period looking for some payback after losing the night before to the Merritt Centennials. Within the first three minutes, Nick Peluso ripped a shot from the top of the dot for an early lead. The Bucks ended the first period just like they began it, with Julian Frias finding the back of the net with a minute left in the opening frame. Final after the first, 2-0.

The second period was mostly filled with penalties but the Bucks were able to extend their lead even further as well. Just before the BCHL media timeout, Bauer Morrissey scored his fourth of the season, giving the Bucks a 3-0 lead. Throughout the period, the Cents found themselves in the penalty box twice, whereas the Bucks where sitting for two minutes on three different occasions. Final after the second, 3-0.

The Centennials came out in the third period pressing for a comeback. In what Head Coach and GM of the Centennials, Curtis Toneff, described after the game as potentially the best period they have played so far this season, the Cents couldn’t quite complete the comeback. Cameron Kungle was sent to the sin bin for roughing eight minutes into the period, which sent the Cents to a powerplay and they wasted no time. Ten seconds in, Jaxson Murray wired a one-timer into the net for his 11 goal of the season and fifth powerplay goal of the season. But that’s where the comeback would end even with the Cents continuing the pressure all period. In the final 30 seconds Jack Silich potted an empty netter to ice the game for good. Final score, 4-1.

Johnny Hicks took the lose while making 38 of 41 saves.

Saturday January 7, Merritt Centennials @ Vernon Vipers

The Centennials looking for some revenge after a 4-0 shutout to the Vernon Vipers last game out, the game didn’t start the way they wanted. Connor Farren was caught with a trip at the 7:38 mark in the opening period and the Vipers used the extra man to their advantage. Seiya Tanaka-Campbell sat in the slot and tipped in a slap-pass to the top right corner, giving the Vipers the lead on the powerplay. Final after the first, 1-0.

The Vipers came into the second looking to extend the lead and were able to early. Just over a minute into the period, Lee Parks re-deflected another shot from the point in for his 11 goal of the season. Halfway through the middle frame, Hank Cleeves and Ethan Sundar came storming down the ice with a two-on-one break. Cleeves slid the puck to Sundar who one-timed it into the back of the open net to extend the lead further for the Vipers. Final after the second, 3-0.

The third period was an action packed frame. The final period started quick once again for the home team as Thomas Tien got one into the back of the net, stretching the lead to four. The Centennials would then spring to life, looking to make a push back. Christian Lowe saw all the tip-ins the Vipers had throughout the game and thought it was his turn as he scored his tenth of the season. Jonathan Wong was the one who fired the original shot, also getting an assist on the play, which gives him his first point in the BCHL. One minute later, Tristan Allen took the puck on the left point, stepped towards the net, and perfectly placed the puck in the corner to cut the lead to two. At the 13:08 mark, Aleksey Chichkin got a tripping call and sent the Vipers back to the powerplay, and they connected once again. Isaac Tremblay scored on the powerplay to grow the lead back to three goals. With two minutes left in the game, Parks found him self on the breakaway and snapped the shot low corner to make it back a four goal game. Just 27 seconds later, Diego Johnson stepped up with the puck in the slot and wired it into the net. The goal is the rookies seventh of the season making it a 6-3 game. That was it for the scoring but the rough stuff seemed to just get started. Mark Thurston got his stuck high up in the face of Anson McMaster which lead to some pushing and ultimately the gloves being dropped, with punches thrown from both. The tilt lead to both players getting a one-game suspension from the league. As time expired in the game, Chichkin was also sent to the locker room for a misconduct. Final score, 6-3.

In the lose, Connor Sullivan made 35 of 41 saves.

Next up for the Centennials is a road game against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Friday, January 13.