The Merritt Centennials broke their slump on the powerplay, and broke through with a 4-2 win against the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The first period started off slow, 3 minutes passed before the first shots were exchanged. After the slow start, the Cents slowly started to turn on the offense. After a stretch in the offensive end, Brad Cocca threw the puck from behind the net out front to Nick Granowicz, who passed it to Nick Wicks at the side of the net who finished off the play to make it 1-0. It was Wicks’ 5th goal of the season, and the Cents lone goal of the frame. The Smoke Eaters would tie things up late in the period on the powerplay to make it 1-1 after 1. Austin Roden made his second consecutive start for the Cents and stopped 8/9 in the first period. Adam Marcoux stopped 8/9 for the Smokies.
In the second, the teams traded a couple powerplay opportunities before the Cents broke the deadlock. The energy line went to work down low in the offensive zone, and Frazer Dodd tried a shot from the near side that was denied, but Ben Ward found it behind the net and tucked it in the other side for his second of the season, and the 2-1 lead. Rylan Van Unen finished off a quick passing play from Brendan Schneider behind the net for the Cents to take the 3-1 lead into the third. Shots after 2 were 23-15.
The final frame saw both teams trade goals early on the powerplay. The Smoke Eaters used the powerplay to their advantage for the second time in the game, and the Centennials used the powerplay to their advantage for the first time in 12 attempts. Brendan Schneider broke the slump for the Centennials by finding the rebound from a Brady Ziemer point shot to make it 4-2. The Cents would get a full length 2-man advantage that they couldn’t convert on, and then they’d play defense the rest of the way to hang on to the lead. Austin Roden would pick up his third win in as many tries, and the Cents will retain their hold on first place in the Interior Division.
Energy Player of the Game:
Nick Wicks – 1G
3rd Star: Joey Berkopec – 1A
2nd Star: Ben Ward – 1G
1st Star: Brendan Schneider – 1G, 1A
After the game, Head Coach Joe Martin said it was important to come away with this kind of victory.
“This kind of win is almost more important than one where everything is going right. We had to work hard, teams are starting to gun for us and play us like we are the top team in the division.”
The Cents and Smoke Eaters will do it all again next Friday from Trail. 7pm puck drop. 6:45 pre-game on Q101.1FM and HockeyTV.
