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By Jared Thomas, Merritt Centennials Communications Coordinator.
The Merritt Centennials went through a wild 2020-21 campaign that couldn’t have been possible without the dedication and support of their fans, sponsors, billet families, volunteers and parent group. The Cents would like to thank you all for your continued support throughout a difficult season for all involved.
There were many positives throughout the season including celebrating our award winners.
MOST IMPROVED –
A player that joined the team with little fan fare out of our extended training camp and continued to prove himself and improve every day. He was a positive influence on the bench, was vocal, and would go to the dirty areas and play the right way. Despite getting a little banged up in the pod season for blocking a shot, he continued to persevere and play Cents Hockey.
By Jared Thomas, Centennials Communications Coordinator.
The BCHL’s 2021 season ended on May 9, while the Merritt Centennials finished up their season with back-to-back games against the Prince George Spruce Kings and Chilliwack Chiefs on May 7-8.
MAY 7 – MERRITT CENTENNIALS VS. PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS
The Merritt Centennials couldn’t level enough shots towards the Spruce Kings net to make life difficult for their goaltender, and fell by a score of 3-0 in the two teams’ series finale.
It took a while for the offence to arrive in the first period, but when it did, it was Prince George who got things going. Hunor Torzsok struck as he was able to find a loose puck on a bounce from the wall and levelled a backhander that baffled Cents goalie Josh Dias to make it 1-0.
By Jared Thomas, Cents Communications Manager.
The Centennials out-willed and outlasted the Prince George Spruce Kings for their first win of the pod season series against their northern rivals 6-5 on Saturday.
The first period, may have been the best first period from the Cents in the pod, but certainly against the Spruce Kings. Despite surrendering a shorthanded goal to Christian Buono to open the scoring, the Cents bounced back with an answer on the powerplay as Alex Ochitwa sent a backhander past Jordan Fairlie to tie the game and end the shutout streak PG had going against the Cents for 2 and some games. Shots after 1 were 11-7 Prince George.
Merritt’s offensive explosion sinks sloppy Spruce Kings
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Simply put, the Merritt Centennials were sick of losing to the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Thanks to a four-point effort, Ben Ward willed the last-place Cents to a wacky 6-5 victory on Saturday inside the BCHL’s Chilliwack Pod.
PG got off on the right foot courtesy of Christian Buono who broke loose shorthanded once again, handcuffing Colton Phillips-Watts for a 1-0 advantage.
Local product and former Cariboo Cougar Alex Ochitwa responded 90 seconds later on the power-play capitalizing on an unusually shaky Jordan Fairlie inside the Spruce Kings net.
Both would continue to exchange goals in the second as Amran Bhabra’s lazy wrister inside the Merritt blueline found its way past Phillips-Watts.