West K use blueline scoring to defeat Merritt 7-1

The Merritt Centennials began the front half of a home and home series with the West Kelowna Warriors on Tuesday night at the NVMA. Merritt was looking to beat West Kelowna for the first time this season after dropping the first four meetings of the year.

It would be the Cents to strike first, with the AP Jack Henderson scoring his first in the BCHL. Henderson sniped from the high=slot to beat Justin Katz, assists to Davide Patella and Ashton Taylor.

West Kelowna would retake the lead late in the first period with two goals in the final 93 seconds. First Christophe Farmer blasted one past John Hicks. Then a scramble to the side of the net saw the puck somehow squeak past Hicks with just 12 seconds left on the clock.

In the second period, West K would begin to strut their offensive muscle, with goals coming from their deadly blueline.

First it was a great individual effort from Nick Ardanaz who skated freely around the o-zone before cutting down the right-wing and beating a screened Hicks.

Tyler Rubin would net the second of the night from Warriors defenseman.

Just past the midway point of the stanza, Tyson Jugnauth would snipe top corner on the powerplay to complete the second period scoring. West K leading 5-1 after 40 minutes.

Hicks stopping 26/31 through two.

Late in the third period the Cents would draw a penalty and with nothing to loss, Head Coach Curtis Toneff would pull Hicks to create a 6-on-4.

With two extra-men, the Cents would still be beat by West K, during a stretch of play Toneff referred to as embarrassing, with West K potting two more into the empty net to win 7-1.

Cents and Warriors are back at it on Friday in West Kelowna, 7pm puck drop.