SWEEEEEEEEP! A weekend of firsts as Centennials go “Buck Hunting” in Cranbrook

CRANBROOK — Well they don’t call him Lucky Losier for nothing. Number seven Zach Losier completed a hat-trick overtime game-winning goal to bring his goal total to seven on the season, which leads the entire BCHL in tallies. The goal helped complete a two game sweep in Cranbrook.

It was a weekend of firsts as Nathan Taylor, Luke Melnik, and Dylan Lariviere all tallied their first BCHL goals while Latvian goaltender Karlis Mezsargs had a monster performance of his own. Mezsargs stopped 44 of 46 shots to get his first BCHL win.

Game One: “Quick Start Cents” Merritt Centennials 4 @ Cranbrook Bucks 2

It didn’t take long for the Cents to get on the board. Jacob Smith notched his first goal of the season just 1:32 into the game, he would finish with 2 points and 2nd star of the game. Before the Bucks could collect themselves just 22 seconds later “Mister Lucky Losier” notched his 4th goal of the season, scoring a first period goal in his third straight game. Cranbrook had their best period of the weekend peppering Mezsargs with 22 shots in the first period, to no avail.

The second period was another hot start. Luke Melnik beat Carpter Capton 5-hole just 29 seconds into the second period for his first BCHL goal to make it 3-0. That would be it for Capton, yanked after 3 goals on 10 shots. Much like the first period, the momentum of that early goal led to another quicky. 57 Seconds later Tim Kim would beat Oulette, who just entered the game to make it 4-0.

The Bucks would get goals by Jacob Fletcher and young budding star Noah Urness to cut the lead to 4-1 at the end of the second then 4-2 halfway through the third period. Karlis Mezsargs proved to be a little too much for the Bucks in the end. His 44 saves on 46 shots will likely go down as one of the best goaltending performances of the season, and what a way to get your first BCHL win.

Game Two: “Barn-Burner” Merritt Centennials 5 @ Cranbrook Bucks 4 (O.T)

What a game.

The first was a fairly even game with both teams tied at 11-11. Frias was able to get the Bucks on the board early burying a rebound in front, he had a nice cheeky little “digging” celebration after, referencing the rebound goal. Nathan Taylor would score his first BCHL goal to tie things up 1-1 in the second, but the Bucks would regain their 2-1 lead not even two minutes later. At the 10:19 mark Dylan Lariviere would tie the game at 2-2 heading the third period.

Shots were 24-21 Merritt at this point.

While his streak of scoring in the first period came to a close four games in, Losier would explode in the third and overtime. At the 3:37 mark of the third Losier would score his first of three to give the Cents their first lead of the night. Bryce Sookro would respond on the PP for the Bucks six minutes later to tie things up at 3-3.

The 2nd Losier goal to make it 4-3 was all Ryan Spinale, who won a long race to the puck in Cranbrook territory to dish a perfect feed to Losier with just 6:12 left in the game. The apparent late game winning goal was short lived with who else but Noah Urness tying the game at 4-4 just a minute later.

The ten minute overtime wouldn’t last that long with d-man Kiernan Poulin saucing his fourth assist in two games as Zach Losier was able to cut in around the faceoff dot and bury his own rebound to wrap the weekend up with two road wins for the Centennials.

The Cents will host the Prince George Spruce Kings tonight (October 10th) at the NVMA as they look to avenge last weekend’s 5-3 loss in Prince George.

Puck drop 7 p.m.