Short handed Centennials unable to battle through injuries losing both games on the road

The Merritt Centennials find themselves decimated by injuries as the season winds down, lost both road games over the weekend.

Friday, March 17: Merritt Centennials @ Wenatchee Wild

Coming off a long bus ride, the Merritt Centennials found themselves down big after the first period. Seven minutes into the game, Parker Murray ripped a shot home for his 23rd of the season, giving the Wild an early lead. At the 14:12 mark, Maddix McCagherty tied up the game with his second off the season. The offense of the Wild would then  answer quickly in a huge way, scoring back-to-back goals. Cade Littler would score just 14 seconds after the Cents tied it up to give the Wild the lead back. While the Wild were celebrating their goal, Kyle Isenberg was pushing and shoving and got sent to the box for roughing. 30 seconds later, Littler would score his second goal of the game, an absolute rocket off the one timer, giving the Wild a two goal lead on the powerplay. As time was expiring in the opening frame, Ean Somoza finished off a two-on-one with four seconds left. Final after the first, 4-1.

Both teams came out strong in the second period. Within the first minute, Aidan Lindblad took the puck down the wing and sniped the top corner perfectly. That was Lindblad’s third goal of the month. Less than 30 seconds later, Dane Westen answered quickly by taking the puck as the trailer jumping up on the rush and finding the twine. It is Westen’s first goal of his BCHL career. At the 16:40 mark, Littler would complete the hat-trick for his 28th goal on the campaign. Once again, the Cents took a penalty during the goal play, with Erik Sollied getting a 10 minute misconduct for disrespectful abusive behaviour. Final after the second, 6-2.

The Centennials came out and won the third period, but it was too late. Halfway through the frame, both Rocco La Cara and Carter Schmidt were sent to the penalty box for interference and unsportsmanlike conduct respectively, putting the Cents down five-on-three. It only took Somoza 20 seconds to score on the powerplay for his second goal of the game, extending the lead to five. Still down a man, the Cents would make the Wild pay. Mark Thurston would streak down the ice, using his speed and puck protection before throwing it back door where Diego Johnson was set up for the easy tip-in. It was Johnsons first shorthanded goal of the season. Two minutes to go in the game, a beauty tick-tack-toe passing play in front of the net led to another easy tip-in. Schmidt hit Michael Shara, who slid it back to La Cara for his third goal of the season. All three coming against the Wild in Wenatchee. Final score, 7-4.

Connor Sullivan would make 35/42 saves in the lose.

Saturday, March 18: Merritt Centennials @ Penticton Vees

The Merritt Centennials and Penticton Vees met in a blowout, rough game. In the first 20 seconds of the game, Jackson Murphy-Johnson caught his stick up high and was sent to the penalty box for a four minute minor. That sent the leagues best powerplay to work, with Nic DeGraves the one to pot the powerplay goal, to give the Vees the early one goal lead. Cents goalie, Connor Sullivan was lights out for the rest of the opening period. Sullivan made 26/27 saves, with a number of beautiful diving saves. Final after the first, 1-0.

The second period is when everything went south for the Cents. Within the first five minutes of the period, the Vees extended their lead to four. At the 3:22 mark, Hiroki Gojsic found the puck during a scramble in the crease for his 9th goal of the season. Just over 30 seconds later, Ryan Hopkins took the turnover at the point and launched a shot into the back of the net. Off the ensuing faceoff, 20 seconds later, Aydar Suniev would finish off the passing play, forcing Head Coach and GM of the Centennials, Curtis Toneff to call a timeout and try to revitalize his team. Three minutes later, DeGraves would find the back of the net for the second time in the game. The physical play would start. Mark Thurston was apart of a hit on Mason Poolman, where the former was not impressed with. Thurston and Poolman would drop the gloves and each get a game misconduct for fighting. A couple minutes later, Diego Johnson would be sent to the ice hard from a hit by Ben Brunette, which didn’t sit well with Aidan Lindblad. Lindblad would start up for his teammate by giving a solid shot to the Vees defender, warranting a game misconduct to be handed to Lindblad as well. After Michael Shara took a roughing penalty, the Vees powerplay was on a five-on-three with plenty of time do to the five minute major. Suniev would grab the powerplay goal for his second of the game. With three minutes left in the period, Erik Sollied would get hit hard from behind into the boards, which didn’t go without an answer. After taking a second to grab his bearings after the hit, Sollied return the favour with some rough stuff of his own. Sollied would join Thurston and Lindblad in the locker room for the rest of the game, getting a five minute major for a blow to the head. The Vees would take advantage of the opportunity, twice. Bradley Nadeau would extend his league lead in goals scored to 44, putting him in a tie for second in powerplay goals scored as well. With 30 seconds left in the second period, Gojsic would score on the powerplay, his second goal of the night, giving the Vees seven second period goals. Final after the second, 8-0.

Cooler heads prevailed in the third period with the Vees grabbing a couple markers to get to double digits. The Cents had the chance to break the goose egg with a four minute powerplay, thanks to a Brunette kneeing penalty, but ultimately was unsuccessful. At the 6:13 mark, Thomas Pichette grabbed the puck in the slot and wired it into the back of the net, for his 15th goal of the year. Less than two minutes to go in the game, Suniev would widen the lead further by completing his hat-trick with a breakaway goal. Final score, 10-0.

Sullivan would finish the game facing enough shot to play a couple games. In the losing effort, Sullivan made 61/71 saves.

Coming out of the game against the Vees, three Centennial players found themselves in disciplinary troubles with the league. Mark Thurston received a one game suspension for his second fight of the year. Erik Sollied was handed a two game suspension for his blow to the head game misconduct. Aidan Lindblad, who also got a game misconduct for blow to the head, was awarded a three game suspension.

With only two games left in the season, the Centennials wrap up their 50th anniversary season with a road game against the West Kelowna Warriors on Friday (March 24) before heading home to end it on home ice against the Vernon Vipers on Saturday (March 25).