Grizzlies eliminate Centennials from KIJHL playoffs for second year in a row

A taste of déjà vu for the Merritt Centennials as their sophomore season in the KIJHL has come to an end at the hands of the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

The Centennials were blown out 7-2 Saturday (March 14) night at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena as the Grizzlies took the best-of-seven series in six games. The Grizzlies won last season’s playoff series in five games but had to wait a little longer this time as Merritt forced a game six with a win Friday.

Revelstoke scored the first four goals Saturday through Walker Overwater and Daniel Erwin in the first period, Jake Neufeld in the second, and Blake Cameron just 17 seconds into the third period before Merritt got on the scoresheet.

Goals from Reed Belcourt at 2:51 and a power play marker from Noah Lawless at 7:19 pulled the Centennials back to within two goals but that was as close as they would come to trying to extend the series to a game seven in Revelstoke.

The Grizzlies struck again through Faris Meddeb, an empty netter from Jett Patola, and a power play goal from Jake Phillips-Watts to make it a 7-2 final.

Merritt netminder Tyler Picha allowed six goals on 46 shots, while Revelstoke’s Austin Seibel stopped 28 of 30 shots.

The Grizzlies await the winner of the Ohlhausen Division semi-finals series between the Princeton Posse and the Kelowna Chiefs. That series is tied at 3-3 after Princeton won their third game in a row to force a game seven Monday (March 16).

The Kamloops Storm are also through to the second round of playoffs after a four-game sweep of the Chase Heat in their Doug Birks Division Semi-Final series.

The Storm await the winner of the series between the Williams Lake Mustangs and the Quesnel River Rush. The Mustangs can close things out at home this evening as they lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.