Preview: Merritt @ Victoria

Merritt 25-11-2-5 (57 pts) - 2nd in Interior
LAST GAME: 3-2 loss in Alberni Valley yesterday (snapped a 7 game win/9 game point streak)

Victoria 18-25-0-0 (36 pts) - 6th in the Coastal Conference (14 pts back of Coquitlam for the final playoff spot, but they have 17 games left, Coquitlam has 20)
LAST GAME: 5-2 loss to Coquitlam yesterday (lost 6 in a row, outscored 46-14 during the skid)

*First and only meeting between the two teams

• after a cold, pouring rain kind of day yesterday, the sun is shining on the Island today, so life goes on after a devastating loss in Alberni Valley last night

• the loss last night might have been the biggest heartbreaker of the season, especially based on the circumstances, so the question is "where do you go from here"? How does the team get past it? I think it's a lot easier said than done, but that's the task at hand

• the guys will play this game with a feeling they're unaccustomed to... the feeling of losing. It's a sting they haven't felt since Dec 29, and are certainly not used to it. The question will be how do they channel that feeling? They can either be dejected and play that way, or play with anger and hunger to avenge the results of last night

• this is an important game for peace of mind. The Grizzlies have been mired in a miserable tailspin since the trading deadline and don't appear to be close to ending it. A Merritt loss tonight would raise a few alarm bells I'm sure with the coaches and the fans. The Cents can't afford to be beaten by two bottom-feeders back to back, especially when the 2nd team tonight is the coldest team in the league

• Merritt will need to approach this game with the right mentality, and not overlook the Grizzlies despite all their struggles. The game should be a cakewalk if the Cents play their game and don't shoot themselves in the foot. A blowout win tonight could be effective in helping to forget yesterday entirely

• ultimately, this weekend doesn't mean much in the standings for Merritt, as they still have a 10 point lead on Prince George and 11 point lead on Chilliwack for 2nd... essentially, this weekend is a tee-up for Penticton on Wednesday (if they beat Prince George tomorrow, they will enter that game on a 25-game winning streak), and the Centennials need to head into that game oozing with confidence and not doubting themselves, or it could be a long night. Therefore the game today and tomorrow are monstrous for their mental state come Wednesday

• Victoria were the biggest sellers at the trading deadline, moving away all their top players (Wade Murphy, Jarryd TenVaanholt, Mike Collins, Taylor Pernerowski and goalie Jamie Tucker. They also lost all-star Wesley Myron to a season-ending injury/surgery). They've been playing with a bare-bones lineup ever since, including yesterday when they had just 10 regular skaters plus 3 AP's, but still played 6 players short of a full lineup. That is near impossible to overcome, no matter who you play

• the one thing you can't overlook with Victoria is their power play. Even after the trading deadline, it continues to click with regularity. Just like Merritt's power play, Victoria has scored 5 straight games with the man advantage, including going 7 for 17 in their last 4. So the Cents might not realize it, but staying out of the box would be a good idea tonight

• Victoria's head coach is also their owner, former NHL'er Len Barrie, and he has been quoted as saying that he feels confident with his team's ability to be near the top again next year with all the roster moves (mainly future considerations, which are players coming in at the conclusion of this season). But right now, during this 6 game skid, the Grizzlies are averaging just over 2 goals per game, and just under 8 goals against per game (over 8 in the last 5 games), so they are as ripe for the picking as anyone in the league right now. It's a great opportunity for Merritt to regain their swagger after what happened last night

• Merritt will need to find scoring from a few more sources as well. Evan Stack and Chad Brears are the only 2 players to find the back of the net over the last 2 games, and the Centennials have just 7 goals in their last 3 games overall

• if there was any game where the message would be to just "SHOOT", then this is it. The Grizzlies goaltenders have next to no confidence right now (at least 5 goals against in 5 straight games), and playing with a very limited lineup, the Cents can tired out the Grizzlies very quickly by hemming them in their own zone. This could lead to an easy night for Merritt and a long night for the Grizzlies

*LINEUP NOTES: Brandon Bruce's weekend is over. He has been suspended 2 games for his hit to the head penalty last night which led to a 5 minute Bulldogs powerplay and Bruce getting a game misconduct. That means Bruce is the only scratch for tonight. Tyler Martin will play up front (most likely on the 3rd line with Shinkaruk and Maktaak), while Dylan Chanter draws back into the lineup on defense. The goaltending rotation continues with Tyler Steel getting the start between the pipes

Note the face-off time tonight: Puck drop is at 7:15 from the Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria. That means the pre-game show starts at 6:45. You can tune in on Q101 FM in Merritt or online at Q101.ca