Cents Earn Three of Four Points in Weekend Split

The Merritt Centennials picked up three of  the possible four points up for grabs this weekend in KIJHL action as the team split a pair of road games against Neil Murdoch division teams.

On Friday night, the Centennials dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Spokane Braves, then defeated the Beaver Valley Nighthawks 5-3 less than 24-hours later.

Heading into weekend play the Cents were in fourth place in the Bill Olhausen Division, trailing Sicamous by three points. Once weekend action Merritt now occupies third spot in the division tied with the Eagles with 30 points each but the Cents are in third because they have played one more game than Sicamous.

Spokane 3 Merritt 2 OT

Lance Insko scored his third of the year at 2:01 of overtime to lift the Braves to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Cents on Friday night.

The Cents lead 2-1 heading into the third period on goals from Jobie Seimens (1) and Sam Giangualano (12) when Owen Ames tied it for Spokane at 6:45  on a short handed goal to send the game into extra time which would end on Insko’s heroics. Despite stopping 45 shots, Andrew Krakora was tagged with his fourth  loss of the year in goal for Merritt.

After a dismal start to the year for Spokane, which saw them win once in their first 19-games, the Braves are hoping they have turned the corner on the season after picking up three wins in their last five games.

Merritt 5 Beaver Valley 3

Steven Foster had a goal and two assists on Saturday night as the Cents built a 4-1 second period lead and held on for a close 5-3 win over the Beaver Valley Nighthawks.

The aside from Foster’s team leading 16th of the year, the Centennials got goals from Dylan Ruff (8), Brayden Thurlow (8), Maxim Radmanovich (4)  and Sam Giangualano (13) while Matt Perron turned aside 33 of 36 shots he faced for his sixth win of the season.

With his four point weekend Steven Foster and his 31 points (16G-15 A)  moves into eighth place in the KIJHL scoring race, 12 points back of Levi Astill of the Grand Forks Border Bruins.

The Cents have two more games left before the Christmas break including “Teddy Bear Toss” night on Friday night when the Kelowna Chiefs come to town for a 7 p.m. contest.  Fans coming to the game are encouraged to bring a stuffed bear or toy to toss onto the ice  when the Centennials score their first goal. All toys will be donated to those in need this Christmas.

The Centennials final game before the holiday break will be next Wednesday night on the road in Princeton to play the first place Posse.

Both games can be heard on Super Save Gas Cents hockey on Q101.