Ex-Merritt Centennials goaltender Tyler Steel is living and working in the Nicola Valley this summer. The 21-year-old Vernon native, who played three full seasons with the Cents (2010-13) is employed at the Quilchena Golf Course.

Steel has just finished a very successful freshman season on a hockey scholarship at Brown University — an Ivy League school of 8,000 students located in Providence, Rhode Island.

In his rookie year with the Bears, Steel started 21 of the team’s 31 regular-season games in net. He recorded a stellar 2.67 GAA and .911 SV%.

Highlights of Steel’s first season of NCAA Division 1 hockey included a 5-3 victory over Dartmouth in his debut on October 26, an undefeated streak of five games (3-0-2) from December 6 to January 18, and a 2-0 shutout against Harvard on February 22.

The six-foot two-inch, 187-pound Steel played a total of 117 regular-season and playoff games as a Centennial in his three seasons in the BCHL.

In his final year of Junior A hockey, Steel played in 46 games for the Cents, posting a 26-18-2 record along with a 2.56 GAA and .911SV%. He also picked up a team-record five shutouts.

Steel’s outstanding accomplishments in 2012-13 earned him BCHL (Interior Division) First All-Star Team selection, and Cents team MVP honours.

2nd Annual Cents Golf Classic set to go

The 2nd Annual Merritt Centennials Golf Classic fundraising event is all set for Saturday, August 16 at the Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club at
Quilchena.

Last year’s inaugural Classic was a tremendous success — raising almost $20,000 for the Junior A hockey club.

For complete details, visit the Cents website.