By Jared Thomas, Centennials Communications Coordinator.

 

The BCHL’s 2021 season ended on May 9, while the Merritt Centennials finished up their season with back-to-back games against the Prince George Spruce Kings and Chilliwack Chiefs on May 7-8.

MAY 7 – MERRITT CENTENNIALS VS. PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS

The Merritt Centennials couldn’t level enough shots towards the Spruce Kings net to make life difficult for their goaltender, and fell by a score of 3-0 in the two teams’ series finale.

It took a while for the offence to arrive in the first period, but when it did, it was Prince George who got things going. Hunor Torzsok struck as he was able to find a loose puck on a bounce from the wall and levelled a backhander that baffled Cents goalie Josh Dias to make it 1-0.

Another ex-Cent added to the lead towards the tail end of the first, when Christian Buono picked up a drop pass from Killian McGregor and fired it off the post and in to make it 2-0. The Cents only mustered three shots in the first to the Spruce Kings eight.

The game was still up for grabs in the second period, but the Cents couldn’t seize it. They would get into a bit of penalty trouble, but would manage to kill off every attempt. Neither team could find offence in the second as the goaltenders reigned supreme. Shots after two were 21-8.

The Cents luck on the penalty kill ran out in the third period when Kolton Cousins tallied a powerplay goal, and despite trying to mount a strong comeback effort, the Cents couldn’t break the goose egg. Final shots were 33-15.

After the game, Head Coach Derek-Sweet Coulter said the lack of shots didn’t help.

“We have to get way more shots on net than that. The Spruce Kings are strong defensively, but we need to find a way to put more rubber on the net.”

 

MAY 8 – MERRITT CENTENNIALS VS. CHILLIWACK CHIEFS

The Merritt Centennials battled through adversity all pod season long, and in the end couldn’t grind out an extra five minutes in their final test as they fell to the Chilliwack Chiefs by a score of 4-3.

After having one of their worst starts of the pod the previous night, the Cents had one of their best in their final effort. Despite surrendering the first goal of the game to Sasha Teleguine and the Chiefs, the Cents used the strength of their powerplay to get back into the game. Alex Ochitwa threw a shot on net that was deflected through the five hole by Ben Ward in front to open the scoring. It would be Ward again later in the frame when he collected a pass off a turnover and ripped it past the netminder to make it 2-1 in the first. Shots after one were 13-13.

The Cents and Chiefs both traded chances and spent a lot of time in the neutral zone in the middle frame. A late major penalty in the period resulted on a lengthy chance for the Chiefs, where Kyle Penney was able to capitalize to make it at 2-2 game after two. The Chiefs took the edge in shots in the second 27-21.

In the final frame, the Cents started on the penalty kill and couldn’t break that mentality early. Teleguine would add his 2nd of the night in full flight up the middle before roofing one past Josh Dias to make it 3-2 Chiefs before Ethan Bowen tallied on the powerplay to make it a 4-2 game. The Cents were able to start a comeback push on a powerplay of their own, when Talon Zakall scored from the point to make it 4-3. However, the Cents night ended in heartbreak, as they couldn’t find the late equalizer and would fall by a score of 4-3.

After the game things were emotional as the teams 20-year old players spent the last moments of their junior hockey careers soaking up some last minutes of ice time at the Coliseum.

The Cents would like to salute their graduating players: Captain Zack Dallazanna, Assistant Captain Liam Visram, Assistant Captain Trevor Isaksson, Goalie Josh Dias, and forward Matteo Pecchia. We wish you all well in the next chapters of your hockey careers and your lives, and hope you remember this wild ride with the Centennials fondly.

 

The Cents finished the shortened pod season with a record of 3-17-0-0. Prince George took the three-team Chilliwack Pod division on the season’s final day of play, besting the Chiefs on Sunday by a score of 4-2. The Penticton Vees were the league’s season champions, finishing at 18-1-0-1.