Cents Game Day – Merritt at Penticton – March 27/22

Date – Sunday, March 27, 2022

Game Time – Puck drop 4:00 pm

Location – SOEC, Penticton B.C.

Broadcast – Q101 & BCHLTV

Penticton Vees – 42-8-1-2

Merritt Centennials – 3-46-2-2

The Merritt Centennials conclude their 21-22 season this afternoon in Penticton against the Interior Division winning Penticton Vees at the SOEC.

Saturday night in West Kelowna was an exciting game from the opening puck drop to final horn. West Kelowna with nothing to play for started six APs including goaltender Angelo Zol. Despite the young subs, it would be the Warriors striking first with the captain Elan Bar-Lev-Wise firing home from the high slot beating Peyton Trzaska clean blocker side.

The Cents would respond on a broken-play as the puck would find the stick of Jackson Krill to the side of the net, he would beat Zol up high to level the score. The game would remain tied late into period two.

With Davide Patella sitting in the box, the Warriors captain would net his second of the night to restore the West K one goal lead.

Cents would earn a 5-on-3 late in the period but Zol would stand tall making a number of key saves to keep West Kelowna in front by one.

Trzaska stopping 24/26 after two.

West K would find two quick goals early in period 3 to stretch the lead to 4-1, curtesy of Cameron Hicklin and Marcus Joughin.

The Cents would reply with Ben Ward firing on and Levi Carter finding the lose puck behind Zol to bring Merritt back within two. That is as close as the Cents would come, West K adding three garbage time goals to ice the contest and win 7-2.

The Penticton Vees enter play off an overtime loss to the West Kelowna Warriors on Friday night. In that contest the Vees battled back to force the extra frame but would not be able to pick up the extra point. The Vees have nothing to play for tonight as they are locked into first place in the Division and have also won the Presidents Trophy for top spot in the BCHL.

Luc Wilson has taken the lead in points for Penticton with 72 (28G, 44A). Josh Nadeau follows close behind with 68.

Previous meetings;

The Cents and Vees have faced off six times already this season with Penticton every matchup. After three blowout losses early in the year, Merritt has fared much better in the most recent trio of games, losing by 5-3, 5-2, and 4-2.

Blue Paint Battle;

John Hicks is now 0-16-3 with a .893 SV% and 5.30 GAA.

Jackson Baker is 0-10 with a .855 SV% and a 7.40 GAA after getting an early hook on Friday night at home.

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 0-2, 6.36 GAA and a .883 SV%.

Kaeden Lane has been one of the best goaltenders in the BCHL this year, posting a 28-3-2 record with a sparkling .910 SV% and a 2.07 GAA. Carter Serhyenko has been serving as backup recently going 9-2-1 with a .893 SV% and a 2.41 GAA.

Special Teams Comparison;

Vees – PP 24.8% (6/18) PK 84.4% (5/18)

Cents – PP 11.0% (18/18) PK 67.7% (18/18)