Cents Game Day – Merritt vs West Kelowna – February 26/23

Date – Sunday, February 26, 2023

Game Time – Puck drop 2:30 pm, Pregame show 2:15 pm

Location – Royal LePage Place, West Kelowna BC

Broadcast – CKMQ-FM Q101 & BCHLTV

Merritt Centennials – 11-27-3-2

West Kelowna Warriors – 25-16-4-0

Previous Meetings;

The Merritt Centennials and the West Kelowna Warriors have played each other four times already this season. The Cents are yet to win in this matchup this season.

November 5, VS West Kelowna: Cents lose 8-1

January 14, VS West Kelowna: Cents lose 6-4

January 25, @ West Kelowna: Cents lose 4-3 SO

February 20, @ West Kelowna: Cents lose 9-1

Over the past five seasons, the Centennials have won seven in 24 games.

Blue Paint Battle;

Johnny Hicks has made 27 appearances this season logging over 1,500 minutes of hockey, 1,514 to be exact. Hicks has put up an 8-10-3 record with a 0.917 SV% and a 3.53 GAA. Connor Sullivan has a 2-12 record in 16 games with a 0.874 SV% and a 5.33 GAA.

Justin Katz has dominated most of the action in net so far this season, and rightfully so. In 25 games played, he has a 12-8-2 record with a 0.892 SV% and a 3.54 GAA. There are two goalies that split back-up duties. Angelo Zol has a 6-4-1 record in 15 games, with a 0.871 SV% and a 3.90 GAA. In 12 games played, Cayden Hamming has a 6-2-1 record, putting up a 0.890 SV% and a 3.07 GAA.

Special Teams Comparison;

Cents – PP 18.4% (28/152) *15^th best in the league PK 77.3% (153/198) *13^th best in the league

Warriors – PP 24.6% (46/187) *2^nd best in the league PK 73.2% (123/168) *17^th best in the league

Players to Watch;

With a list of injuries this Centennials team is facing, there are several affiliate players stepping onto this roster. The captaincy unit of Christian Lowe, Mark Thurston, Jaxson Murray, and Jackson Murphy-Johnson will be leaned on to help carry this young, semi-inexperienced roster.

Luke Devlin torched the Cents last game these two teams met a week ago. Devlin scored twice and added in an assist. This season so far, Devlin sits in seventh in team scoring with 28 points (9G,19A).