Game Day: Merritt Centennials (4-5-0-0) at Langley Rivermen (3-6-0-0)

Merritt Centennials – 4-5-0-0

A fresh slate for the Centennials after fatigue may have been a factor in a couple of losses. The Cents went 3-0-0 then 0-2 at the tail end of 5 games in 9 days. CT Larochelle has 2 goals in 2 games, Ryan Spinale is on fire with 9 points in 6 games which puts him into the top 10 in BCHL point leaders. The team is scoring but they have to keep the puck out of their net if they want to snap a 2 game slide.  

Langley Rivermen 3-6-0-0

Langley’s record may suggest that they have struggled mightily this season but the results may fool you. This is a team that has been in every game essentially. A 3-2 loss and 2-1 loss to Victoria back-to-back a 4-3 win in Cowichan Valley and a 3-2 loss to the very solid Surrey Eagles. This is a team that wears the opponent down regardless of the opponent much like the Vernon Vipers. Expect a game similar to the one in Trail where the opposition will try to wear the Centennials down and force them to make mistakes in their own zone. 3-6-0-0 is not reflective of the potential of the Langley Rivermen.

Previous Meetings;

Again a team that barely ever meets up with the Merritt Centennials regardless the Langley Rivermen have gone 2-1-0-0 over the Merritt Centennials over the last five years. Merritt is looking to go back to .500 after dropping two straight, they will be back in action tomorrow for a 6 p.m puck drop against the Penticton Vees in Penticton.

Special Teams Comparison;

Cents – 7/33 (21.2%%) (9th) PK 31/37 83.8%   (3rd)

Rivermen –  6/30 (20.0%) (12th) PK 25/30 (79.31%) (4th)

Players to Watch;

CT Larochelle has goals in back to back games, 2 goals in 3 games. The QMJHL product has been on fire since coming back to the line up. Ryan Spinale is now a top 10 scorer in the BCHL after a nasty streak of 9 points in 6 games. Spinale is a bad man these days. And don’t forget Keirnan Poulin who had a cooler start to the season but since then a 5 game point streak. The smooth skating U of Mass commitment is showing his true color as a puck moving defenseman with nothing but courage.

On the other side Vilaty Levvy 6 goals and 10 points and 3 goals in 5 games, the sniper for Levvy. Oskar Komarov has 6 goals and 3 assists as well but 0 points in 2 since scoring 5 goals in 3 games. 

Keys to Victory;

Key number 1 – Better starts. They were dominated in the first 20 against the Trail and didn’t get their first shot on net until 5 minutes left in the period. They won’t win a lot of games coming out flat.

Brian Passmore told the boys to stop dipping their toes in the water, go out there and give them 100 % energy. There would be no excuse for not showing up after all the rest the Cents have had this week.

Key Number 2 – A full sixty. Aside from the bad starts Merritt has also had a hard time finishing games where they started hot. Against PG and Cranbrook they went up 4-0 early and then let the lead slip. Perhaps a bit of complacency has leaked into a team that has forgotten where they have gotten where they are. Be the underdogs they were in Cranbrook.

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.

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.