The Merritt Centennials played .500 hockey this past week, recording a win, a loss and a tie in three games.
By earning three of a possible six points, the Cents kept themselves in the Interior division playoff picture as the BCHL regular season schedule moves into its final quarter.
The Merritt win, by a 5-2 score, came against the Wenatchee Wild on Jan. 16. The game was played in front of over 3,000 fans at the Town Toyoto Centre in the Washington State city.
The Cents never trailed in their first-ever match-up with the Wild, leading by period scores of 2-0 and 4-1 en route to the convincing win.
Merritt goal scorers were Brett Jewell shorthanded, Michael Faulkner, Mitch Lipon on the powerplay, Tyler Ward and Nick Jermain into an empty net.
Cole Kehler was outstanding in the Merritt net as the Wild outshot their Canadian visitors 36-16.
The victory south of the 49th parallel came one day after the Centennials fell 6-2 to the league-leading Penticton Vees at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.
While the game was a lot closer on the ice than on the scoreboard, the workmanlike Vees were full value for the victory. Playing without five regulars, including star forward Tyson Jost, they kept it simple, and made good on the opportunities that were presented to them.
BCHL standings to Jan. 19
In contrast, Merritt failed to build on an early 1-0 lead, squandered a pair of first-period powerplays and missed on a breakaway to allow the Vees to regroup and mount their own offensive.
Penticton scored six of the next seven goals as they threw 53 pucks at a beleagured Kehler between the Merritt pipes.
Lipon had the game’s opening goal, and Zak Bowles the only other Merritt marker on the night.
In the week’s most exciting contest, the Centennials battled the Salmon Arm Silverbacks to a 5-5 draw on the shores of the Shuswap Tuesday night.
It was a back-and-forth clash at the Shaw Centre all night long as the Cents generated a pair of two-goal leads, only to see the ’Backs square things up each time to send the game into overtime.
Neither team could bury the deciding goal through five minutes of exciting four-on-four and three-on-three action.
Merritt’s three newest players — Zach Court, Chase Bell and Ryan Roseboom — had a big night, recording a goal and four assists between them. Other Merritt marksmen were Jermain (2), Lipon and Henry Cleghorn.
Kehler was again stellar in net, stopping 37 of 42 shots.
The Cents are off now until Jan. 27 when they again host Penticton starting at 7 p.m.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The BCHL trade deadline on Jan. 10 came and went with two Merritt Centennials players departing, and three (not two as previously reported) arriving.
Gone are forwards Gavin Gould (to the Nanaimo Clippers) and Ryan Forbes (Chilliwack Chiefs).
New to Merritt are forwards Zach Court (from Nanaimo), Ryan Roseboom (Chilliwack) and Chase Bell (Grande Prairie Storm, AJHL).
Since making their debut in the Centennials’ game against Penticton on Jan. 15, Merritt’s three newest players have contributed five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in the three games played.
