The 7th in the Interior Division Merritt Centennials (0-3) take on the 5th place West Kelowna Warriors (1-3-1) at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena tonight.
The Centennials are coming off a pair of losses last weekend where the team was outscored 12-4. Penticton pounced early and often in the Cents Friday night match up racking up a 7-1 score over 2 periods of play before the Cents came to life in the third to make it a somewhat respectable 7-3 final. The Cents got goals from Rylan Van Unen, Brett Roloson, and Troy Quinn in the losing effort. The following night against the Victoria Grizzlies the Cents came out with a much better effort as both teams exchanged goals on the powerplay in the first period. Olson Werenka tallied for the Cents on the man advantage which remains a bright spot early in the season. In the second period, the Cents threw everything and the kitchen sink at Grizzlies goalie Joe Howe but were unable to beat the Victoria netminder and surrendered an unfortunate shorthanded goal. The Cents were hoping to hit the comeback trail in the 3rd, but were met with 3 unanswered Grizzlies goals including an empty netter. The first was a miscue in the offensive zone that hopped the stick of Troy Quinn and sprung the Grizzlies forward in on a breakaway, the second of the period came on a week off-speed backhander that baffled Winter. The Cents continue to search for the elusive first win of the season.
West Kelowna comes in after picking up their first points of the season last week. They dropped three straight games in their triple header to open the season, but bounced back with solid efforts against the Langley Rivermen and the Victoria Grizzlies. The Warriors were able to outscore the Rivermen 8-5 for their first win of the season, and then got unlucky in overtime in a loss to the Grizzlies and fell 3-2. The Warriors come into the game hungry to pick up more precious points in the Interior Division.
Head-to-head it’s Warriors who have the edge in offense. The Cents have been snake bitten to start the year with only 5 goals over 3 games – missed chances, solid goaltending, and some stick squeezing seem to be the culprits early. The Warriors despite their record have no shortage of offense as they’ve scored 17 times this season – 2nd most in the division, but they’ve also allowed 21 goals which is also good enough for 2nd most in the Interior.
The Cents have been busy this week making four separate roster moves. They’ve added goaltender Tanner Marshall to the mix from the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL. Last season Marshall was a perfect 12-0 with the best team in the nation, and he’s spent time in the BCHL with the Trail Smoke Eaters. In a subsequent move, the Cents shipped Dylan Kosik to the Fort Frances Lakers of the SIJHL for future considerations. The team also made a pair of WHL signings grabbing Tyson Galloway from the Calgary Hitmen system, and signing Jerzy Orchard from the Kamloops Blazers. Head Coach Wolff is doing all he can to try and shake up the roster to produce a win.
The teams split the special teams battle with the Centennials having the edge on the PP while the Warriors have been better short a man.
Powerplay: Penalty Kill:
Cents – 23.1% (9th) Cents – 72.2% (14th)
WK – 14.3% (12th) WK – 76.5% (11th)
The Cents are led by four players that have picked up a couple points over the first three games: Brett Rolson, Olson Werenka, Daniel Tkac, and Talon Zakall.
The Warriors have a couple players who are in the league’s top 20 early in Lucas Cullen with 6 points for 14th league wide, and Levi Stauber for 16th with 5 points. 2nd year forward Brandon Dent has 4 points.
The battle between the blue paint sees the Cents with a solid option. Ryan Winter is 0-3 to start the year with an .882 SV% and a 4.88 GAA. Tanner Marshall comes in from the defending national champion Brooks Bandits where he had a 12-0 record, a sparkling 1.33 GAA and a .925 SV% – mind you on a very over powered Bandits club that outclassed the rest of the AJHL.
The Warriors turn to returner Brock Baier in net as he sports a 1-3 record with an .890 SV% and a 3.93 GAA to start the year. Johnny Derrick is 0-1 with a .929 SV% and a 3.05 GAA.
Assistant Coach Derek Sweet Coulter says the Cents are just some puck luck away from their first win.
“I feel like the puck luck early on hasn’t gone our way. We’ve had a number of chances, but we are squeezing the stick too tight.”
The Cents hope that tonight the puck luck is with them en route to their first victory of the season.
Puck Drop 7pm from the NVMA. Pre-Game at 6:45 on Q101 and Hockey TV with Jared Thomas and Michael Reeve.
