The Merritt Centennials and Ryan Winter found themselves in a hole early in the game, but faced the adversity head on and prevailed over 60 minutes in a 4-2 win.
The game didn’t start well for the home side as Troy Quinn went off for boarding just 30 seconds into the game. It took the Warriors and Levi Stauber just 6 second to capitalize on a point shot past Winter to make it a 1-0 game. The Cents bounced back with a rebound goal from Brett Roloson in front to tie the game just over 2 minutes later, however, the Warriors regained the lead after a crazy bounce at centre ice saw the Centennials over skate the puck and Lucas Cullen with a clear cut breakaway from the blue line. The Warriors leading scorer wasted no time beating Winter with a nifty move to the backhand to make it 2-1. Winter had allowed 2 goals on his first three shots, but him and the Centennials settled down the rest of the way. Despite being heavily out shot, 19-9, in the period, the Cents kept within 1.
In the middle frame, Merritt looked like a team reborn and came out flying. Once again they took an early penalty, but this time they killed it off cleanly and seized momentum from it. Moving forward it was the Cents with all the pressure and the Warriors that were hanging on. 5 minutes into the period, Declan Douthart went to the box, and the Cents were able to make good on their first powerplay of the game. For the first time this season, 3 newcomers combined on the effort as Troy Quinn fed it up the left side wall to Matt Osadick, who feathered a beautiful area pass forward for Thomas Manty, who roofed it glove high on Johnny Derrick to tie the game. Despite throwing 19 shots on net to the Warriors 6 in the period, the Cents couldn’t get the go ahead.
The third was a bit more evenly matched, but the Cents managed to capitalize on their chances and finally get some bounces going their way. Daniel Tkac scored just over 3 minutes in when he found a loose puck at the top of the left circle, spun, and fired a floater that baffled Derrick up high. The offspeed pitch was his first goal of the season. Midway through the frame the Cents broke out on a rush down the ice. Joey Berkopec was flying up the right side when his ‘shot’ went wide and the lively boards at the NVMA bounced the puck right on to the stick of a streaking Matsui to make it 4-2. The Cents did well to keep the forecheck going throughout the remainder of the game to hang on for their first win of the season. Ryan Winter stopped 37/39 shots he faced for his first win of the year, and Johnny Derrick stopped 42/46 in the loss.
After the game, Assistant Coach Derek Sweet Coulter said the boys battled out there.
“I think early on we had to grind through the adversity, and then in the 2nd period our guys took it to another level. I think we saw what our team can be if everyone is working their hardest.”
The Cents will look to string two wins together when they take on the Wenatchee Wild tomorrow night at the Town Toyota Centre in Wenatchee.
ENERGY PLAYER OF THE GAME: Matt Osadick 0G 1A
3RD STAR: Thomas Manty 1G 0A
2ND STAR: Daniel Tkac 1G 1A
1ST STAR: Brett Roloson 1G 0A
