Cents Game Day – Merritt vs Vernon – March 16/22

Date – Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Game Time – Puck drop 7:00 pm

Location – Nicola Valley Memorial Arena, Merritt B.C.

Broadcast – Q101 & BCHLTV

Vernon Vipers – 24-19-4-3

Merritt Centennials – 3-41-2-2

The Merritt Centennials return home to the NVMA after a tough road trip that ended in heartbreak for the Cents on Saturday night in Trail.

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.

The Vipers have been playing quality hockey down the stretch going 6-4 in their last 10, including a 3-2 win over Cranbrook last weekend.

Luke Buss and Reagan Milburn lead the offense for the Snakes with 33 and 31 points respectively.

Previous meetings;

The Cents and Vipers have played three time thus far and will conclude the season series this week with a home and home series. The Vipers are 3-0 versus the Cents, with one game reaching a shootout. The season series will wrap up on Saturday in Vernon.

Blue Paint Battle;

John Hicks allowed six goals on Thursday but deserved a better fate. Hicks is now 0-14-3 with a .895 SV% and 5.22 GAA.

Jackson Baker is 0-7 with a .858 SV% and a 7.44 GAA.

Also joining the Cents for the stretch run is AP goalie Payton Trzaska. The goalie played for the Princeton Posse this season in the KIJHL, posting a 10-8 record with a 3.20 GAA and .914 SV%. With Merritt he is 0-1, 6.79 GAA and a .887 SV%.

Roan Clarke leads the Vernon goaltenders with a .916 SV% and a 2.69 GAA. Ethan David is the backup at .911 SV% and 2.70 GAA.

Special Teams Comparison;

Vipers – PP 19.0% (12/18) PK 80.1% (9/18)

Cents – PP 12.0% (18/18) PK 66.8% (18/18)