Since I have just begun this blog, this will be my first chance to reflect on the first half (and a bit) season that it's been for the Centennials, and what we can look forward to after the Christmas break. Okay, so here we go:
TOUGH START
Coming into this season, the one thing that the Centennials, and every team, wanted to avoid, was any sort of prolonged "slump". It seemed almost impossible that any team could go through the struggles Merritt did early on and still come out with a playoff spot. After all, think back to last season. It was another difficult start, and a tough finish... but in between, the Centennials were extremely good, very consistent, and at one point had a stretch of 15 straight games where they gave up 3 goals or less; the only team to have a stretch like this last season, including the Powell River Kings, who set all sorts of defensive records. However, they still finished with just 22 wins, well below .500, and not even close to the 4th place record needed to make the playoffs this season.
The first 4 games were against Prince George and Trail, and looked hopeful that Merritt could get off to a strong start. But after losing 6-3 opening night in Prince George, and pulling out a 4-3 win the next night against the Same Spruce Kings, the Cents were stifled by a 3-3 tie in Trail, which was followed up by a 5-3 loss to the now-last place Smoke-Eaters on their home opener, a game the Centennials led 3-0 in the 2nd period. That game was followed up by a tough 5-4 overtime loss to Westside, a game in which Merritt again led 2-0, and Tyler Steel stormed off the ice in upon giving up the overtime goal. This tough loss was followed by a 6-1 shellacking in Penticton (a game in which the Cents actually played the Vees tough, but had get away from them in the 2nd half), and an equally disappointing 5-2 loss to the Westside Warriors. Things were just about as bleak as they could get. However, on October 8th, everything would change. In a home game against the back to back to back BCHL champs, the Cents fought back from a 2-0 deficit to the Vipers in the 3rd period to tie it up and send the game to overtime. Unfortunately, it was another game where it wasn't meant to be, as the guy who scored the championship winner last year, Michael Zalewski, gave the Vipers an OT victory, despite Merritt playing a very impressive game, you could say their first full 60 minutes, despite the loss. Keep in mind, at the conclusion of this game, the Vipers were 7-0 (14 pts) while the Centennials were 1-4-1-2 (5 pts); 1 win in their first 8 games, with the Vipers having a game in hand. While the Snakes currently have 3 games in hand at the holiday break, they currently trail the Centennials by 7 points... that's a 16 point swing. Following this Vernon game, the Centennials found some sudden surge of life, and handily defeated the defending Coastal Conference Champion Powell River Kings 4-1. This was the start of a 4 game winning streak, and a span of 1 regulation loss in 13 games. As they say, the rest... is history (up to the Christmas break anyways)
SOLVING THE PENTICTON PUZZLE... FINALLY!
Perhaps the highlight of the season so far, based on what's happened since, is the Centennials snapping a 6 year, 19 game losing streak in Penticton, and an overall 18 game losing skid to the Vees dating back to their playoff series 2 years ago. As it turns out, through 15 games this season at the South Okanagan Events Centre, the Merritt Centennials are the only team to get any points of that building. Granted, the Vees were shorthanded both times with their top players away at the World Junior A Challenge, but the Cents were also without Reece Wilcox at the tournament, as well as Brandon Pfeil who was suffering an injury, and was on a roll before getting hurt. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter how, but just that they did it. Following a controversial 5-4 overtime loss, one week later the Cents found an overtime hero in Richard Sabourin, who ended this 6 year drought. Through 15 games at the SOEC for the opposition, Merritt's 3 points are the only points Penticton has surrendered to anybody.
FIRST LINE CONSISTENCY
No player, and no line is able to go a whole season without a couple of cold stretches. And the top line trio of Evan Stack and Chad Brears (former teammates with the Princeton Posse of the KIJHL) along with Regan Soquila have seen their share of frustrating times. But overall, this line has been almost a sure thing for coach Luke Pierce each and every night. Former Swift Current Bronco Brandon Bruce started on the top line and looked to be a solid fit, but once they hit a bit of a wall, coach Luke brought up Chad Brears, who had a scorching hot start. Ironically, Brears struggled to put up the points, picking up just 2 assists in 10 games. But after scoring the overtime winner in Salmon Arm, he exploded, and now sits tied with Evan Stack for the team lead in goals with 13, 9 more than his entire total from last season. While Evan Stack seems to be the heartbeat of the offense each and every night with his efforts, he's been a little snake-bit at times, and should probably be an above point a game player. On the flip-side, we are left to wonder, how does Regan Soquila keep putting up the points without his 2 linemates? Regan started as mostly a set-up guy and struggled to score goals, but now has a very respectable 10 lamp-lighters, to go along with 31 assists (tied for 6th), and a total of 41 points, 13 more than Evan Stack. It doesn't seem logical, but credit to Regan for finding a way to get on the scoresheet, and his play this season might very well make him the next Centennial to commit to a scholarship.
GOALTENDING TANDEM
I know there's often been talk about the Centennials having the best goalie tandem in the BCHL, but this season they're finally backing it up with their numbers as well. Both Lino Chimienti and Tyler Steel had a tough start to the season which affected their numbers, but they've both recently come up with an outstanding stretch of play, including 2 recent shutouts for Tyler Steel vs Vernon and Trail (Lino had 1 earlier vs Surrey). Tyler's 2 recent shutouts and Lino's recent tough game Friday vs Salmon Arm make their numbers look a little different, but there is a reason coach Luke Pierce has been splitting these guys all season long. Any one of them can steal a game on any given night, and the players have full confidence in both. It also doesn't hurt that they both have a great attitude and relationship between each other. I've also noticed they're both very much team guys, and even when their numbers stumble from the team struggling, they will never throw anybody under the bus. I've never once heard either guy take credit for a win or full blame for a loss... it's always the team, good or bad, and as a former fiery (roller hockey) goaltender myself, I admire that kind of mental strength in both of them. The toughest thing for Luke Pierce will be figuring out who's job it is come playoff time, because it's very unlikely they'll keep platooning.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Maybe the strangest stat when you look at the Centennials this season is their power play and penalty kill numbers. For the first half of the season, the team seemed to struggle immensely on the power play on most nights, and be peppered with 1 or 2 power play goals against per game. For much of the season, both their PP and PK were ranked 2nd last. When they lost, you could usually look to the special teams numbers and get your game story, and when they won, and they won plenty, it was usually despite a struggling special teams. In the rare case where they had a good power play night, they usually struggled on the penalty kill, or vice versa. The special teams seemed to never be able to get on the same page, and we were left to wonder just how good this team could be if their special teams was in the top half, instead of 2nd last in each category. Well here's the kicker... in the stretch of games leading up to the Christmas break, the Centennials suddenly figured it out. Their PP scored in 5 straight games and went 7 for 15 in that span (just under 50%), while their PK was dominant on most nights, killing off 26 of 29 over the course of their last 9 games, for a near 90% PK average. So what's the kicker? Well, the last 9 games leading up to the Christmas break, the Cents have been treading water with a .500 record of 4-4-1. How is this possible?! I was convinced that special teams is a vital part of a team's success, but the Centennials have done everything this season to disprove that theory... go figure.
HOME AND AWAY
It has long been a mystery, or then again, maybe not. The Centennials play in the smallest rink in the BCHL, and with spending as much time as they do here practicing and in games, it's no surprise they're as dominant as they are. Huge props have to go out for their ability to find ways to win games, and the passionate, loyal, boisterous fans deserve a lot of credit here as well. But for some reason, the Cents could never find that swagger on the road. You have to wonder just how much of a difference it is to adapt to the bigger ice surfaces, or to have to deal with a crowd that's cheering against you. But one thing's for sure. To make the playoffs, Merritt will need a winning record on the road, and come playoff time, they will have to win at least 1 or 2 road games per series to be able to come out on top. And that becomes a lot tougher if you're playing in Penticton, Vernon or Chilliwack, instead of Trail or Salmon Arm. With that said, the Centennials have been able to at least play par on the road so far, entering the Christmas Break with an 8-6-2-1 record. But that's 8 wins in 17 games, a couple of those in overtime, and one of those was an overtime loss in Westside that got reversed to a win. Since we are now past the halfway mark of the season, I think it's safe to say (looking at the standings and the games in hand for other teams) that Merritt will need to be a little more consistent on the road to secure a playoff spot, and then to give themselves a chance to go on a run once there.
DEPTH
A lot of people might be wondering what the biggest difference is in the Centennials sudden resurgence this season as opposed to my first 3 seasons on the job, where they won 13, 22 and 22 games respectively. Well to me, the answer is quite simple. I think for the first time in my time here, they have a team that is built like the 3 Championship teams Vernon has throw on the ice the last 3 years. That's not to say they are or will be as good as Vernon, but this is as well-rounded of a team as Merritt has ever had. In the past, they would rely very heavily on just their top line, maybe 2 lines, while the 3rd and 4th line were rarely played, and mostly used to eat up minutes without getting scored on. That is no longer the case. Coach Luke Pierce feels confident to throw out any line at any given time, knowing that each one of them can provide a big goal. The 2nd line is an amazing story, where Fletcher, Harper and Reichert have fit in seamlessly. If you'll recall, both Harper and Fletcher had just 2 goals each all of last year, and both did it on just 1 night. So for them to provide the offense they have this season is a huge bonus. The 3rd line consists of 3 very skilled players, Brandon Bruce who started on the 1st line, Dustin Lebrun who might have the best shot on the team (and battles for pucks in the neutral zone as hard as he would for a loose puck in the crease) and Sean Maktaak, who doesn't seem to score any goals that aren't pretty (much like Chad Brears). And the fourth line is more than just an energy line, where local product Payton Schaeffer has fit in seamlessly, and is a constant threat with Brendan Lamont (my vote for most untapped potential on the team) and Brayden Low, who can and has moved up and down the lineup with ease with his offensive skills and face-off dominance. There is not a weak link here. Add to that a very strong defensive core (averaging the 3rd least goals against in the Interior) that can put points (Billy Marshall and Brandon Pfeil have been nothing short of outstanding offensively), and you have weapons oozing from every corner. Not to mention the now-committed Reece Wilcox (who has potential for even more offense) and the phenomenal jump of Richard Sabourin (who might get my vote for most improved player). Ironically, the Cents are one of the lowest scoring teams in the league, but the point is that they are able to find a different hero each night, and that makes them a constant threat no matter who's on the ice.
UNTAPPED POTENTIAL
I mentioned it already with Brendan Lamont, but if you're looking for more reasons to get excited about the Centennials, you can't help but wonder just how much better some of these guys can get... especially if you're a season ticket holder and watch them on a regular basis. That doesn't mean the guys I leave off this list can't or won't get better, it just means they're likely playing their role to expectations. But there's a few guys that I believe have the ability to do more, and that's more a compliment to their skill-set than a critique of how they've performed so far, because the team, for the most part, has been a well-oiled machine.
To me, Brendan Lamont stood out like a sore thumb (in a good way) in training camp with his speed and his hands. He is probably the fastest guy on the team. Of course, he is still just 17 years of age, and the smallest guy on the team, so he might not have the confidence of a seasoned vet, but you can see that slowly developing through the season, much like what Reece Wilcox went through last season. This is a guy that battles hard each and every shift, and is obviously at a disadvantage with his size, but I think he's bound to break out eventually, if not in the 2nd half of this season, then definitely next. With just 1 goal right now and 6 points, it doesn't even come close to representing the kind of player this guy can be, and I think he is a definitely 1st liner if not next year, then 2 years down the road. Dustin Lebrun, I already talked about... good speed, great shot, just struggles to get it off as much as he could, and too often can't find the corner he's aiming for. But his pre-season hat-trick showed that when this guy is rolling, he can be dominant. And I still think he easily a top 6 player playing a 3rd line role just because of the depth and strength of the rest of this team. Brayden Low has been getting more and more confident each game, to the point where he is now able to get creative on the ice and show some flair. His 2 goals do not come close to showing his potential. Brandon Bruce is another guy who became a victim of depth when he was moved from the 1st down to the 3rd line, but his 8 goals proves that he can put the puck in the net at this level, after struggling to find his groove in the WHL. With 2 years of eligibility left, if he can find his finishing touch, you could be looking at a real sniper down the road. Finally Jakob Reichert... the top recruit for Luke Pierce last year. This is a guy who can carry the team on his back both literally and figuratively, and I think everyone can agree that his 6 goals and 15 points is about half of his potential. Physically, he is outright dominant, and can cycle and protect the puck at will with his huge frame. Additionally, I think he actually has the best hands on the whole team, and can beat anybody one on one. If we're talking penalty shots, he might even be my first choice. He's made some great set-ups this year that weren't finished off, but maybe it's about time he starts shooting more himself, or at least parking himself on top of the crease, and make life torturous for the opposing goalie, which picking up some loose garbage to add to his point total. I would expect either a 2nd half explosion now, or at least a point a game season next year, provided he doesn't ink a scholarship with a school drooling over a big guy with hands.
EVERY NIGHT A GRIND
Despite a first half of the season that nobody in Merritt can be upset about, as the broadcaster of the team following their every move, I have noticed that they make things a lot more difficult on themselves than they probably could or should be. It's hard to believe, but despite 18 wins in the standings, and some very impressive games, the Cents have never won with much breathing room at all. They've had multiple goal leads on many occasions, but instead of building on the momentum and running away with the game, they've always been forced to fight tooth and nail right to the very end, and have never won a game by more than 2 goals, empty nets aside (a couple of 4-1 wins with empty netters). For the final 36 games, you can only hope the guys are able to keep the foot on the gas peddle and find that killer instinct to make life a little easier for themselves.
PARITY
As a BCHL broadcaster, a fan of the game and the league, you can't help but smile when you look at the BCHL standings this year. If you put one finger over the Penticton Vees and pretend they don't exist, this is the healthiest, most exciting season, possibly in BCHL history. In both the Interior and Coastal Conference, it's an intense dogfight for playoff positioning, and to decide who gets into the playoffs in the first place. It's also great to see teams like Merritt, Prince George and even Chilliwack (a struggling Quesnel team from last year that has moved and made lots of changes) have resurgent seasons, not to mention the likes of Cowichan Valley on the Coast, who have gone from worst to first, and proven that co-coaches really can work. This kind of parity can cause lots of nails to be bitten to the flesh, but you can't deny how exciting, entertaining, and good for the game and the league it is. I agonize over the scoreboard each and every night, and yet I can't find myself wanting to complain. It's simply FUN! We just have to hope that the playoffs are not as clear cut as the race for 1st in the regular season. The Penticton Vees have entered the break with a franchise record 18 game winning streak, and sit 20 points ahead of the 2nd place Centennials in the Interior Conference.
GOOD OR "ELITE"?
Will the real Centennials please stand up? We know about the tough start winning 1 of their first 8 games, we know about the spectacular run since then, which included 1 regulation loss in 13 games, but despite their last win vs Westside, the reality is still that their last 9 games they've gone 4-4-1-0; a .500 record over a quarter of their games played so far (34). Add to that the start of the season where they won 1 of their first 8 games, and that's a 17 game span (half of their games so far) that the Cents have been average, or mediocre, while the "in-between" 17 games they were undoubtedly "elite" and proved themselves to be as good as anyone in this league with a record of 12-2-0-3. In a sense, it's almost a shorter photocopy of the way Merritt's last season went, all 60 games. So the question is, which Centennials team will we see following the holiday break?
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