Prince George flexes offensive muscle in 8-1 win

”The best thing is we get to move past this game and play again tomorrow night,’’ said Head Coach Dave Chyzowski post game.

It was a game to forget for the Merritt Centennials Friday night at the NVMA as the Spruce Kings played opening night spoiler with an 8-1 final.

The contest opened with an early goal of the year candidate from Centennial Walker Erickson who dipsy-doodle-dangled around his man with a beautiful inside-outside move at the blue line before firing low past Aaron Trotter. The assists on the play supplied by Deegan Mofford and Wyatt Marlow. The marker would be the only goal allowed by the PG netminder as he would go on to stop 16/17 in the win.

From there on it was Prince George taking over the game, with goals from John Herrington and Kilian McGregor Bennett before the end of the first to take a 2-1 lead to the room.

The middle stanza opened with a bad line change from the Cents leading to a 3-1 break the other way finished off by Rowan Miller.

The game would remain close until the 16:52 mark when PG would open the flood gates finding twine three more time over the final minutes to lead 6-1 after two.

The third frame began with a goaltending change for Merritt with John Hicks lifted after allowing 6 goals on 25 shots, albeit none of them were completely his fault. Brayden Melnyk would stop 13/15 in relief.

The Cents are right back in action Saturday night at the NVMA as they welcome the Salmon Arm Silverbacks to Merritt. Game time in 7 pm, catch the pregame show at 6:45 with Jared Thomas and Michael Reeve on Q101 and BCHLTV.