Trail ties it late and wins in a shootout 4-3

For the third game in a row the Merritt Centennials would score the opening goal of the game. With Ashton Taylor sitting in the box for hooking, the Cents penalty kill would find themselves on a 2-on-1. Ben Ward would fire on from the left-wing, with Ethan Shebansky saving the initial shot. The puck would filter down behind the goal where Levi Carter would help Ward work the puck to the front and beat the Trail goalie in tight.

Both teams would exchange chances all period long, with John Hicks standing tall stopping all 18 shots he would see.

The second period would feature wide-open end to end action with both teams bulging the twine twice.

Trail would come out strong with Zach Michaelis scoring just 74 seconds in to level the score at 1-1 as he cut across the net and tucked one in behind Hicks.

Michaelis wasn’t done there, as he would fire on from the point on a powerplay to give the Smokies a 2-1 lead before the mid-way mark of the frame.

Merritt would respond in turn, with Mark Thurston scoring from a bad angle to bring the Cents back 2-2. On the goal local Merrittonian Lucas Schmid would notched his first point in the BCHL with an secondary assists.

Two minutes later Connor Farren would keep on a 2-on-1 and fire past Shebansky to restore the one goal lead, 3-2 Merritt.

Hicks stopping 30/32 through 40 minutes.

The Smokies would continue to pour on the pressure in the final period and finally with the goalie pulled and 18.1 seconds on the clock, Teddy Lagerback would deflect home a slap-pass passed Hicks to level the score and force OT.

The extra frame would solve nothing and a dreaded shootout would be required to decide a great hockey game.

Corey Cunningham would be the hero for Trail, 4-3 SO Final.