Centennials grab a win during parents weekend

The Merritt Centennials hosted their parents weekend and were able to grab the win on the same night of the ceremony.

After receiving a beating Friday night, the Cents had a big bounce back game on Saturday.

Friday, March 3: Merritt Centennials VS Penticton Vees

The Penticton Vess came off the bus hungry for goals and that’s exactly what they did. Just over two minutes into the game, Hiroki Gojsic would score his 8th goal of the season to give the Vees an early one goal lead. The Cents would fend off the attack for a while until the BCHL media timeout hit and the ice was tilted once again. At the 11:38 mark, Beanie Richter would pot the puck into the back of the net for his 6th of the year. Less than two minutes later, it would be Ryan Hopkins scoring his 9th. Another couple minutes later, Thomas Pichette would extend the lead even further wit his 11th of the season. At the 17:19 mark of the opening frame, Aydar Suniev would find the twine for his 33rd of the year. Not happy with five, Josh Nadeau would score his 34th of the campaign with 36 seconds left in the period. Final after the first, 6-0.

When compared to the first period, the game slowed down. There was no penalties to either side in the middle frame. With the period in the final four minutes, Frank Djurasevic would notch his 8th of the year. Final after the second, 7-0.

The offensive attack by the Vees was back pedal to the metal and the Cents frustration also ramped up. A minute and a half in, Carter Schmidt would take a boarding penalty, which the Centennials were able to kill off. Just over eight minutes into the final frame, the Vees unleashed for two goals in a 15 seconds time frame. First at 8:20, Bradley Nadeau would snipe his 36th of the year home, followed by Suniev off the ensuing faceoff for his second of the game. Three minutes later, Billy Norcross was tired of seeing his name off the goal scoring list and added in his 10th of the season. Less than 30 seconds later, the Centennials were finally able to get on the board. Aidan Lindblad would score his first goal as a Merritt Centennial since joining the club at the trade deadline. The rough stuff started to pick up in this game as both Connor Farren and Diego Johnson would be sent to the box for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct respectively. It was time for the goals to flood back in for the Vees. Bradley Nadeau would score his second of the game on the powerplay. Another 20 seconds past and Suniev would complete the hat-trick, potting his third of the game. Mark Thurston would then be sent to the locker room serving  two minute roughing and a ten minute misconduct. On the powerplay, the Vees would add one more goal with Pichette nabbing his second of the game. Norcross and Schmidt would grab matching roughing and misconduct calls to in the final few minutes. Final score, 13-1.

In the losing effort, Connor Sullivan was left out for all 13 goals, stopping 47/60 shots.

Saturday, March 4: Merritt Centennials VS West Kelowna Warriors

Looking for a revenge game, the Cents came out flying in the opening period. At the 6:52 mark, Jackson Krill took the puck down the ice and ripped it past the goalie, Angelo Zol, for his 18th of the season. One minute later, Jaxson Murray would finish of a chance in the slot, giving the Cents an early 2-0 lead with his team leading 20th of the year. With six minutes left in the period, the Cents were not done stacking their lead. Christian Lowe would get enough of the puck in front of the net and sneak it by to extend the lead. Just over a minute later, Jacob Smith would lead the charge on a stellar goal. Smith would head down the ice two-on-one, make a move around the defender and pass it to Maddix McCagherty who just missed it wide, but the rebound off the back boards would find Smith to the side of the net, putting it away for his 3rd of the season. The night was over for Zol after the fourth goal, taking over in net for the Warriors was Cayden Hamming. Final after the first, 4-0.

The Centennials would start of the second in some trouble. Krill would be sent to the sin bin for an interference penalty jus two and half minutes in. Chris Duclair who capitalize on the powerplay, getting the Warriors on the board with his 12th tally. With a minute left in the middle frame, Connor Farren would get the short stick in a rough up, being the lone man sitting in the penalty box to end the period. Final after the second, 4-1.

Starting the third on the powerplay, the Warriors would take advantage once again. In the first 25 seconds, Ben MacDonald sent a shot from the point, getting through all of the traffic, cutting the lead back down to two. Once again the Centennials got slammed by the penalty bug. Lowe would be sent off for four minutes in a double minor spearing penalty. Rylee Hlusiak would be the one this time to snag the powerplay goal, his 16th of the season, making it only a one-goal lead. With seven and a half minutes left in the third period, Luke Devlin would take the puck the length of the ice looking to tie things up. He would cut out wide and then drive hard to the net, sliding the puck around the pad into the back of the net, tying the game up. Final after the third, 4-4.

After surrendering a four goal lead, the Centennials would be looking for some magic in overtime. Back and forth non stop action during the three-on-three overtime frame where both teams had a couple of scoring chances. With 1:57 left in extra time, Aidan Lindblad would be the overtime hero, grabbing the puck in the neutral zone, crossing the blue line and firing the puck past Hamming for the game winner. Final score, 5-4.

Connor Sullivan bounced back in a big way, stopping 38/42 while getting the win.

The Centennials stay at home for their next game on Friday (March 10) against the Wenatchee Wild, before heading on the road to play the Penticton Vees on Saturday (March 11).