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Comeback Complete Against Wild

The Merritt Centennials rode out a wild start to the game, and rode a wild start of the third period to a comeback win over Wenatchee 6-4.

The first period started with the tone set by the officials. Multiple misconducts and penalties were handed down early and the Wild got out to a 2-0 lead. To their credit the Cents didn’t fade away as youngster Tyson Galloway bulged the twine for his second of the year going top shelf off a crazy passing play in front. Then on a powerplay that was beginning to sputter, Talon Zakall threw one on net from centre ice and it fooled Noah Altman and bounced into the net to tie the game at 2. However, the Wild were able to regain the lead after a back door feed was finished off to restore a 3-2 lead heading into the 2nd. Shots after 1 were 12-9 in favour of Wenatchee.

In the middle frame the team settled down, the whistles were less frequent, and the goalies stood tall as it was a scoreless period. Tanner Marshall made some desparation saves to keep his team within one heading to the third. Shots after 2 were 24-15 Wild.

Braydon Clark didn’t take long to get on the stat sheet in the game with an early penalty, and in the third he didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard as just over a minute in he found a loose puck in front and put it past Altman to make it 3-3 for his first in the BCHL. Daniel Tkac ‘The Slovakian Superman’ as coined by color man Michael Reeve scored a beauty give and go with Josh Kagan to put the Cents in the driver seat. Then with an opportunity to widen the margin on the PP, the Cents got a goal courtesy a one-timed blast from Thomas Manty top corner to make it 5-3. Olson Werenka then added the fourth unanswered by taking a faceoff win from Daniel Tkac and blasting it through the crowd upstairs to make it 6-3. By the time the Wild struck back, there was only 20 seconds left on the clock and the Cents had secure the victory. Final shots were 38-29 Wenatchee.

After the game, Derek Sweet-Coulter was applauding the boys for not getting down on themselves early.

“The first period didn’t really go our way, but we figured out how the game was going, made the adjustments necessary, and then started to battle back. You have to hand it to the guys for having the resilience in this one.”

The Cents have put together their first 3 game winning streak of the season and look to pick up points next week against the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Penticton Vees.