Post Game – The Merritt Centennials (22-26-4-2) tied with the Victoria Grizzlies (30-18-4-4) 2-2 earlier today. This was the second meeting that these two teams met this season with the last one being back in November when it was the Centennials winning that game 6-0.
The Centennials had a rare Saturday night off as they were set to play the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (23-26-3-1) but the game was cancelled to the weather and the Silverbacks being able to travel, that game will be made up at a later date. The Grizzlies came into this game after a 6-3 loss against the West Kelowna Warriors (27-26-1-1) in West Kelowna.
Austin Roden got his fifth straight start while it was Kurtis Chapman who got the nod between the pipes for Victoria.
It was Brendan Schneider of the Centennials that opened up the scoring at the 7:22 mark of the first period, the assist from Schneider’s goal came from Zach Court. The first frame saw just one penalty between the two teams, Rylan Van Unen going off for slashing at the 15:19 mark.
Victoria opened up the scoring in the middle frame at the 3:22 mark Jamie Rome got the puck past Roden. The Centennials weren’t going down without a fight and it paid off, at the 7:17 mark Tyrell Buckley was set up from Nicholas Wicks and Brendan Schneider on the power play to get the puck past Chapman and into the back of the net and on the power play to help Merritt take the lead and go up 2-1.
With just under 10 minutes to go in the final period the Grizzlies scored on the power play thanks to T.J Friedmann to tie the game up 2-2.
The first overtime saw nothing so the game went to a three on three battle and at that point it was just a battle of the goalies between Roden and Chapman.
In the second overtime the Centennials did get a chance to win the game but the puck hit the crossbar and stayed out, and at the 4:19 mark of the fifth period it was Victoria who was caught with to many men on the ice and were called for a penalty. The Centennials couldn’t capitalize and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
Next game day action for the Centennials goes on Tuesday night as they welcome the Trail Smoke Eaters (31-19-4-1) to the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00.
