Cents Game Day – Merritt vs Cranbrook – December 17/22

Date – Saturday, December 17, 2022

Game Time – Puck drop 6:00 pm, Pregame show 5:45 pm

Location – Western Financial Place, Cranbrook BC

Broadcast – CKMQ-FM Q101 & BCHLTV

Merritt Centennials – 8-16-3-1

Cranbrook Bucks – 18-8-1-0

Previous meetings;

This will be the third matchup between the Merritt Centennials and the Cranbrook Bucks out of five total games. The Cents are yet to beat the Bucks so far this season.

September 23 VS Cranbrook: 5-2

November 18 @ Cranbrook: 5-2

Over the past five seasons, the Cents have only beat the Bucks once in seven games.

Blue Paint Battle;

Johnny Hicks has made 18 appearances this season logging over 1,000 minutes of hockey, 1,043 to be exact. Hicks has put up a 6-4-3-1 record with a 0.917 SV% and a 3.30 GAA. Back-up Connor Sullivan has a 1-5 record in six games with a 0.863 SV% and a 6.01 GAA.

Nathan Airey has taken on most of the action this season, playing in 22 games. Airey has a 14-6-1 record with a 0.932SV% and a 2.33 GAA. Back-up Carter Capton in 6 games played this season has a 4-2 record with a 0.898 SV% and a 3.05 GAA.

Special Teams Comparison;

Cents – PP 19.2% (20/104) *13^th best in the league PK 80.2% (105/131) *7^th best in the league

Bucks – PP 16.9% (15/89) *3^rd best in the league PK 82.4% (70/85) *4^th best in the league

Players to Watch;

For this game, it is going to be players to watch not just one. The secondary scoring for the Centennials needs to continue producing in order for them to be successful. Last game against the Trail Smoke Eaters, two of the four goals come from Connor Farren and Coleman Jenkins with Jacob Smith grabbing a couple of assists. If the bottom six forwards in this lineup can continue putting up the numbers this team will continue to find success, especially against a good team like the Cranbrook Bucks.

Through the first two games in this matchup, Donovan Frias has been finding the scoring sheet. In the first game, Frias had an assist before scoring twice in the second game. In total in the first two meetings, Frias has three points (1G,2A). He is also coming into this game with some momentum as last night, Frias scored twice against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. On the season so far, he is third in team scoring with 22 points (13G,9A).