The Merritt Centennials weren’t able to cash in on their chances, and gave some good ones to the Warriors who got back to within 3 points before Christmas with a 5-3 win.
The first period saw the Cents come out a little flat against the Warriors to start and they played with fire one too many times as the Warriors scored on the powerplay to make it 1-0. That woke the Centennials up and they were able to score two goals 29 seconds apart from Matt Osadick and Hunor Torzsok both on beautiful wristers from the left side to make it 2-1 Cents. Merritt started to get into penalty trouble late in the frame, and headed into the dressing room with a 2-1 lead and two men in the box. Shots after 1 were 20-11 West K.
The Warriors would score on the powerplay courtesy an own goal from Olson Werenka as he sprawled to stop a cross crease pass he deflected it into his own net. That would tie the game at 2-2. The Cents would restore the lead halfway through the frame with a powerplay goal of their own from Christian Buono who is starting to heat up heading into Christmas, but they’d give it right back on the ensuing play. The Warriors would drive in on a two-on-one, Joey Berkopec took away the pass, but when it slid across it bounced right back to Max Bulawka, Ryan Winter bit on the pass, and Bulwaka scored on the vacant net. West Kelowna would gain the lead late in the 2nd when Werenka and Zakall passed behind the net one too many times, got picked off by Tyler Cristall who took it out front and beat Winter to make it 4-3 after 2. Shots after 2 were 31-20 Warriors.
The Cents weren’t able to break through on their chances in the third, and didn’t throw enough rubber on or enough energy towards the offensive zone to mount the comeback. Joey Berkopec took a late penalty to put the Cents shorthanded at the end of the game and Cristall added an empty netter to make it a 5-3 final. Final shots were 43-30 West Kelowna.
After the game, Head Coach Derek Sweet-Coulter said the Cents made life difficult on themselves.
“We have played a ton of games leading into the break, and we aren’t keeping it simple. When we over complicate things it ends up in our net, and we did that a few too many times tonight.”
The Cents look to regroup tomorrow afternoon against the Cowichan Valley Capitals at 2pm.
