The Merritt Centennials beat the Penticton Vees 6-4 at home on Saturday night, beating the Vees for the first time in a calendar year. Cents goalie Cole Kehler made 36 saves in the win, while Vees goalie Anthony Brodeur was awarded his first loss of the season in relief of Anthony Drisoll. Brodeur made 22 saves on 24 shots, and Driscoll saved 10 of 13 shots faced.
Merritt beat Penticton for the first time this year, and the first time since January 16th, 2015.
The game was a tale of two periods, with Merritt owning the first. Michael Regush tipped home the first goal of the game with a Mark O’Shaughnessy point pass. Nick Jermain scored the next two goals, first when playing on a shift with Zachary Zorn and Henry Cleghorn, then scoring off a Colin Grannary faceoff win with 55 seconds left in the 1st.
Penticton would regroup in the 2nd period, starting with Easton Brodzinski’s first powerplay goal of the game 3:19 into the middle frame. Brodzinski added another on the powerplay six and a half minutes into the 2nd. Penticton evened the shots and kept up pressure, even scoring shorthanded to tie the game as Scott Conway put home the give and go from Luke Voltin.
Both teams would come alive in the 3rd, the Vees getting their first lead of the game halfway through. Scott Conway would add another shorthanded marker. Merritt’s tenacity would pay off, and their break came with two and a half minutes left in the game. Tyrell Buckley added his first BCHL goal to toe the game for Merritt, and Nick Jermain completed the hat trick for the go-ahead goal. Brett Jewell’s empty netter iced the game.
Merritt plays again on Friday, January 29th at home to the Langley Rivermen. Puck drop is at 7:30pm, pre game begins at 7:15pm on Q101.
