Game Day: @ Merritt Centennials (4-3-0-0) Trail Smoke Eaters (2-1-3-0)

Merritt Centennials – 4-3-0

The Centennials are looking for their first four game winning streak in four years. That season the Cents won four in a row on the road, the Cents will try to win three away games consecutively for the first time in four years as well. The story for the Cents lately has been consistent goaltending and balanced scoring. Melnik, Lariviere, Taylor, Poulin, Emery, Wegner all scored their first BCHL goals in the team’s last two wins. 

Merritt is playing their fourth game in eight days before heading home to host the West Kelowna Warriors tomorrow night at the NVMA.

Trail Smoke Eaters – 2-1-3

Trail has had a lot of tight games this season. 4 out of 6 games have gone to overtime. In a home heavy start to the season Trail has had a lot of rest and a lack of travel. They very likely will have their legs under them while Merritt will be playing their fifth road game and fourth game in eight days. The Smoke Eaters avoided losing all four overtime games by getting a massive 4-3 OT win over the two time defending champion Penticton Vees. Both teams will be brimming with confidence heading into this one.

Previous Meetings;

This is another one of those teams that has dominated Merritt of late. 

Trail is 15-2-0-0 over Merritt the last five years and won all five games against the Cents last season. 

Merritt is seeking their first win in Trail in five years.

09/24/2022 vs. Trail 4 7 Loss 363 0-2-0 L2 0.000

10/28/2022 at Trail 1 5 Loss 1,388 3-8-1 L2 0.217

11/19/2022 at Trail 1 3 Loss 1,504 5-12-3 L4 0.250

12/09/2022 vs. Trail 1 2 SOL SO 631 7-14-4 L2 0.288

12/16/2022 at Trail 4 5 Loss 1,337 8-16-4 L2 0.293

Blue Paint Battle;

Andrew Ballantyne and Karlis Mezsargs now have near identical records, a save percentage around .900 and GAA near 4.00 so you know the pair has kept their team in it when called upon. If Brian Passmore is to go with the hotter hand, he could consider going with Mezsargs after his monster 44 save performance Friday followed by a 39 save performance Tuesday. Both wins. 

Ballantyne will likely get the start either tonight in Trail or tomorrow against West Kelowna. He did surrender four goals in the preseason against West Kelowna but that was just the second preseason game for both teams.

If the Smoke Eaters go with Ryan Parker, the Cents will have their hands full. Parker has a save percentage of .925 and a GAA of 2.72 which is among the league leaders

Special Teams Comparison;

Cents –         4/25 (16%) (12th) PK 24/30 (80%) (8th)

Smoke Eaters–  3/20 (15%) (14th) PK 15/21 (71.4%) (14th)

Players to Watch;

Do I even need to tell you who to watch for the Centennials? Lucky Losier is now leading the BCHL in goals and is tied for second with 9 pts in 7 games. Felsing is looking like a solid playmaker too with 7 apples in 6 games.

That being said, last year’s Cents didn’t also have the kind of balanced scoring as a lot of first BCHL goals over the week. 

Ryan Spinale is on fire lately with 3 goals and 6 points in 3 games. He has had chemistry with Losier and adding Cullen Emery makes for a dangerous top line.

For the Trail Smoke Eaters look for goaltender Ryan Parker to steal the show in net. Trail also boasts d man Patrick Reilly who has 7 assists in 6 games. This is a balanced scoring team like the Cents. Ridge Dawson, Maxim Potvin, Adam Barone and Jason Stefanek all have 2 goals.  

Three Keys

Key number 1 – Discipline. They led the league in penalties last season and now sit just one behind Chilliwack for most penalties taken in the BCHL. It’s hard to see how they have had success with so much time in the penalty box. They got beat in the special teams battle in their last game despite winning 6-3.   

Key Number 2 – Energy. The Cents will play their fourth game in eight days, tomorrow will be their fifth game in nine days. With all the travel early and the condensed schedule it’s going to be grind. The team will just have to do their best with the hand they’ve been dealt. They will have bussed the day before and slept in a hotel so that’s an advantage Brian Passmore hopes will help give his team that extra boost.

Key number 3 – Shots on Net. Passmore wants his team to stop giving up 40 shots a night. It will simply wear their goalie down. Last game that was the “M.O” and they still gave up 40 shots again. The team has been getting results but there is a lot they need to clean up. 

Less shots against, less penalties, less running out of gas late in the game, and a better PP. If the team can improve in those areas they will take that next step and be at the top of the standings. 

Out special teams an opponent who is at the bottom of the BCHL in PP and PK.

Puck drop 7 p.m. live on Q-1-0-1.