Play-by-play announcer Jared Thomas recaps the first few games of the Merritt Centennials’ 2021 BCHL season.

GAME 1: CENTENNIALS VS CHILLIWACK CHIEFS

The game that was supposed to open up the pod season ended up being the day 1 night cap as the Centennials and Chilliwack Chiefs clashed after a lengthy bus delay. The late start turned into a slow start for the Cents who ended up down three buzz after one and couldn’t get out of the hole falling 5-2 with an empty netter.

The Chiefs were lying in wait and were ready to play off the opening puck drop. Just 38 seconds in Ray Fust scored on Chilliwack’s first foray into the offensive zone. The ‘away’ team on the night kept the pressure coming when Ethan Bowen tallied on a cross ice feed on the Chiefs first powerplay on the night. Bowen would add another at even strength before the period was done to put the Chiefs in the driver seat after the first leading 3-0. Shots after 1 were 11-6 Chilliwack.

In the second period, the Cents came out jumping. After some crashing and banging, the Cents were moving their feet and were able to draw some penalties. After they were able to catch Chilliwack with too many men on the ice, it was newcomer Matteo Pecchia deflecting home a Talon Zakall blast from the line that gave the Cents some life. Brandon Dent threw the pass cross-seam, Zakall threw the shot down low, and Pecchia was able to deflect it through the wickets of Caron to make it 3-1. Despite the Cents carrying the pace of play through much of the 2nd they were the victims of some misfortune. Jacksen Hungle was robbed by Caron who swept the puck off the goal line to deny the Cents a goal, and Zack Dallazanna had a goal waved off for goaltender interference. Too add to that Dawson Good made good on a nifty move to the backhand after his team mate got absolutely levelled by defender Trevor Isaksson. The 2nd ended with a score of 4-1, shots 19-18 Chiefs.

The final frame saw the bounces go both ways, but the officials kept the whistles in their pockets. With free flowing play, the Cents were able to score when a Chase Cooke shot was blocked from blue line and deflected to partner Isaksson at the right point. Isaksson’s shot wouldn’t be denied as it knuckled and floated to the top corner blocker side. The Cents had time on their side behind by two with 13 minutes to go, but time quickly became the enemy and with time winding down and the netminder pulled the Chief’s Captain Kyle Penney made it a 5-2 final. Final shots were 29-24 Chiefs.

After the game, Head Coach Derek Sweet-Coulter said that the travel delays definitely hurt the Cents start.

“It’s tough spending so long on the bus and then being ready to go off the hop. Our start definitely suffered and it took us too long to find our legs.”

 

GAME 2: CENTENNIALS VS. PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS

Zack Dallazanna scored in the final minute of regulation, but the Cents couldn’t get the equalizer in game 2 of their pod season against the Spruce Kings and fell by a score of 3-2.

The Cents hit the ice on time on Sunday evening and left the bus troubles of Friday night behind them. They came out of the gate strong but soon found themselves in penalty trouble. At the 4:13 mark Walker Erickson went off for a blow to the head minor and misconduct and at the eight minute Devin Benson went off for tripping. It meant the Cents had trouble getting the offense going as they were spending time killing penalties. It wasn’t long after the 2nd penalty that Kolton Cousins converted on a goal mouth scramble that was initiated by former Cent Hunor Torzsok. After the media timeout, the Cents came out stronger and were pressing until they eventually broke through on the rush. Mark Thurston drove the zone on the left wing side, dropped back for Jake McLean who found Jerzy Orchard in the slot, and Orchard ripped a wrister top corner, blocker-side on Fairlie to level the score at 1-1. The assist was the first in Thurston’s BCHL career. The teams went to the dressing rooms deadlocked at 1. Shots after one were 6-5 PG.

An early penalty in the 2nd period put the Spruce Kings on the powerplay and ex-Cent Christian Buono was able to convert on a screened point shot. Then it was the Cents turn to have a string of powerplay tries including two 2-man advantages. One was roughly 50 seconds, while the other was about 15. The Cents couldn’t make good and that’s what boiled down to the difference as after the powerplays expired Ben LeFranc would score on a broken play and give PG the 3-1 lead. Josh Dias did his part in net denying multiple Spruce King chances, and when defenders were beaten he was there to make the save. Shots after 2 were 18 apiece.

In the third period the Spruce Kings and Cents traded chances, but every time the Cents got a quality opportunity they were denied by goaltender Jordan Fairlee. As the period progressed, Prince George slowly started to lock down defensively. Not to be denied, Merritt continued to press and eventually were rewarded with their own net empty on a goal mouth scramble. Jake McLean made a power move to the net and shot wide, off the end boards it came to Jerzy Orchard for a couple whacks, and then Captain Zack Dallazanna was able to chip it past Fairlee to get the Cents within one. The Cents ran out of time to get the equalizer and fell in game two by a score of 3-2. Final shots were 30-28.

After the game, Head Coach Derek Sweet-Coulter said that the hockey gods weren’t on their side.

“You have to convert on a 5-on-3 and when you don’t it doesn’t usually turn out well, that was definitely the turning point in the game.”

The Cents and Spruce Kings meet again on Wednesday evening.