Merritt Centennials kick off 2025-2026 KIJHL Regular Season tonight

The 2025-26 KIJHL regular season gets underway for the Merritt Centennials tonight as they begin their second season in the league and once again open on the Road.

Tonight the Centennials are in Quesnel to open the season against the River Rush, touting many new faces to the lineup from last year’s squad.

Gone are Sam Giangulano, Jackson Foster, Rhett Serfas, Tie Shukin, Grady Sluggett, Andrew Krakora, and Matt Perron. However, Troy Horn, Brayden Thurlow, and new team captain Alex Cordero are among nine returning players from a season ago.

This season, new faces are emerging, including goaltender Sam Saskiw, Noah Lawless, and Reed Balcourt.

The Centennials finished third in the Bill Ohlhausen Division of the KIJHL last season, and expectations for the Cents are just as high this season as last year.

Following tonight’s game in Quesnel, the Cents will head to Williams Lake on Saturday night for a contest against the Mustangs before returning to the Nicola Valley next weekend to begin a three-game homestand against Castlegar (Sept. 26), Kamloops (Sept. 27), and a matinee against 100 Mile House Sept. 30 on Truth and Reconciliation Day to kick off the home portion of the season.

All games this weekend can be heard right here with Jared Thomas on Q101. Tonight’s pre-game show begins at 6:45 with puck drop at 7:00.