PREVIEW: Salmon Arm @ Merritt

Merritt: 31-18-2-6 (70pts) - 2nd in Interior (tied w/ PG but have 1 game in hand)
LAST GAME: 5-3 loss to Penticton on Thursday (3pts, but no regulation wins last 3 games)

Salmon Arm: 16-33-0-8 (40pts) - 7th in Interior
LAST GAME: 4-3 loss to Penticton on Sunday (5th straight loss, included 1 OT loss)
*Silverbacks have given up 4 goals in each of their 5 games during the skid

Season Series: Merritt 5-1 vs Salmon Arm (outscored the Silverbacks 26-20)

• home stretch is finally here, Cents kick it off tonight with 1st of 3 games in 5 days (in Trail on Friday, back home vs Trail on Saturday)

• memories of the last 2 "close calls" vs Penticton are hard to forget, but 4 days have passed since the last one, so hopefully the team is mentally focused and have had time to forget about the Vees and not think about them unless they get to the 2nd round. It's now time to "focus", and that's the biggest key for the final 3 games, which should be all wins, but nothing comes without effort, nothing just falls in your lap. That's the attitude this team needs to have

• the team's goal before the season of getting home ice advantage (which was supposed to be 4th, but turned into 2nd with the new playoff format) could be just 1 win away from being realized, after PG just lost in Vernon, and finish the season with 2 games against Penticton (who have now won 40 games in a row)

• the Cents need to be, and I'm sure are determined to sweep the final 3 games, which would allow them to hit the playoffs in full speed and on a roll. And come playoff time, the team that's usually "hot" coming in is the team that goes a long way, or at least wins the 1st round

• this is an important time, and will be an important game for Lino Chimienti, who gets his 2nd start in a row. As the 20 year old, Head Coach Luke Pierce hinted that Lino will get every chance to get the job come playoff time, but he will still have to win that job, so regardless of whether or not Merritt wins tonight, it's important for Lino to have a strong, consistent game, coming off an up and down game vs Penticton

• the Backs are dead last (16th) on both the power play and the penalty kill, so this is a definite area to exploit for Merritt. That doesn't mean they should tempt fate by playing a "goon-style" game and getting undisciplined, but their power play could really make a difference. And they need a boost, as their power play is 0 for their last 6 in 2 games, and 1 for their last 11 in 3 games

• unlike what happened in Trail last Wednesday, the Centennials need to respect their opponent from the opening faceoff, despite the standings

• however, considering the standings, this would be a great time for the 4th line to really hit their stride and all 4 lines to contribute. It's all about getting their confidence sky-high as they enter the playoffs Friday of next week, likely vs the Prince George Spruce Kings, and possibly vs the Chilliwack Chiefs

• Salmon Arm still has a few weapons left to watch out for, most notably the duo of Morgan Zulinick and Devin Muller, who are well over a point a game, but also wild-card Myles McCauley, who is 20 years old and is very streaky... there are some games where he dominates and plays like the best player on the ice, so those 3 really have to be keyed on tonight

• despite no playoffs in the fold, the Apes still have plenty to play for, especially 18-year-old goalie Adam Clark, who is scheduled to get the start tonight. Kurt Williams is now 20, so this is the end for him, but Adam Clark is playing for a chance to be "the guy" next year, so he's got plenty of motivation tonight. If Kurt Williams ends up playing, obviously this is his BCHL swan song, so he'll be motivated to finish as strong as he can. 

• Also on the line are possible scholarships and spots on the roster for everyone else. Not to mention "pride". It might be hard to imagine the Silverbacks have pride with 16 wins entering the final week of the regular season, but the last 2 games have proven that. Salmon Arm went up 2-0 on Penticton in the last game and lost a tight, but respectable 4-3 game vs the best team in BCHL history. Before that, they fought back from a 3-0 3rd period deficit in Chilliwack to tie the game at 3, only to lose 4-3 in overtime. But they certainly showed heart and guts the last 2 games, proving that they're still in it to win it

• the bottom line is, Salmon Arm won't roll over tonight, and Merritt needs to realize that, and not take them for granted

*The Cents have a few injury issues to deal with, as defensemen Dylan Chanter and Tyler Martin are both nursing some bumps and bruises. Chanter's injury might be a nagging one that he suffered from a slash to his leg a couple of weeks ago, but Martin's injury is unknown at this time. Additionally, Brent Fletcher has been automatically suspended for 2 games after his hit to the head "major" on Wade Murphy and game misconduct in the last game vs Penticton. As a result, the team will have just 5 defensemen tonight, and 18-year-old forward Scotty Patterson will play his 5th game with Merritt, joining the 4th line with Schaefer and Lamont, while Brayden Low moves up to the 2nd line to take Fletcher's spot, centering Silvan Harper and Jakob Reichert. Patterson has no points as an AP with Merritt, but registered 46 points in 44 games with the Osoyoos Coyotes of the KIJHL in the regular season, before contributing 4 goals and 7 points in 6 playoff games (the Coyotes were upset in 6 games by the Kelowna Chiefs, so Patterson's KIJHL season is over)

*The Silverbacks are also a little short of bodies, and their injury to defenseman Braden Pears has forced them to call up 94-born (recently turned 18) forward Bryden Marsh, who had 26 points in 38 games with the Golden Rockets of the KIJHL in the regular season, and contributed 2 assists in 4 games in the playoffs (Golden got swept by Fernie in the 1st round)

Opening face-off tonight is at 7pm from the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena. Our pre-game show gets going at 6:30pm on Q101 FM in Merritt. You can also tune in online at Q101.ca or on the BCHL fanzone through BCHL.ca

Here are the lineups for both teams tonight:

MERRITT:

Regan Soquila (93)             Chad Brears (91)           Evan Stack (9)
               
Silvan Harper (92)               Brayden Low (94)          Jakob Reichert (93)
               
Carter Shinkaruk (91)          Brandon Bruce (93)        Sean Maktaak (92) 
               
Scotty Patterson (93) AP     Payton Schaefer (93)     Brendan Lamont (94)


                           Reece Willcox (94)        Brandon Pfeil (92)
       
                         Richard Sabourin (92)     Ross Mancuso (92)

                            Billy Marshall (91)       

       
                                                    Lino Chimienti (91)       
               
                                                      Tyler Steel (93)      

SCRATCHES

Brent Fletcher (92) - SUS
Dylan Chanter (95) - INJ
Tyler Martin (93) - INJ


SALMON ARM:

Jeff Kennedy (94)       Stefan Nicholishen (93)      Myles McCauley (91)
              
Devin Muller (92)        Garret Hendrickson (92)    Travis Stephens (93)
              
Alex Gillies (95)          Morgan Zulinick (94)          James Friedel (91)
              
Graham McBain (93)      Mak Barden (93)            Bryden Marsh (94)


              Sean Flanagan (92)            Bennett Hambrook (92)
  
                Mike Berry (93)                Brendan Kennedy (94)

               Shane Hanna (94)                  Taylor Love (92)

               
                                       Adam Clark (93)       
      
                                      Kurt Williams (91)       

SCRATCHES:

Braden Pears (93) - INJ

Dylan Chanter Locks Up His Future with the University of New Hampshire

*UPDATED FROM FEB. 22, NOW WITH AUDIO (BELOW)...

 The Merritt Centennials have once again been recognized for their impressive season (despite a couple bumps along the way), as today they announced their 3rd NCAA Division 1 scholarship commitment. And for the 3rd time it's a defenseman; this time, it's the youngest member of the club, as 16 year old Dylan Chanter has signed on the dotted line with the University of New Hampshire Wildcats for the 2014/2015 season.

If you'll recall back to the offseason, Dylan was the first recruit for head coach and GM Luke Pierce. With the new rule of having to have a 16 year old on your roster, he locked up the 6'3, 195lbs blueliner early before he had a chance to sign with anybody else. And clearly Luke's evaluation was the right one.

Dylan Chanter has come a long way this season. After starting the year a little bit nervous, as any 16 year old would be, and spending a couple of games as a healthy scratch, Dylan has become a regular in the lineup, scored a couple of goals, and is gaining confidence in his overall game on a nightly basis. He is a hard worker on and off the ice and one of those guys that coaches love to coach.

The future for Dylan is extremely bright in the BCHL, and it's exciting to see just how far he can get in the 2 full years he'll still play in the Nicola Valley before embarking to NCAA. It's also worth noting, the UNH Wildcats, playing in the Hockey East division, are widely considered one of the top NCAA Division I hockey schools in the US. So just like with Wilcox and Pfeil, it's not just any scholarship for Dylan, it's a pretty impressive one.

*I had a chance to chat with Dylan before Wednesday's Leap Year/Leap Day game in Trail about his scholarship, and here's what he had to say:

Dylan Chanter to New Hampshire interview by agreb21

The Whittemore Centre where the Wilcats play is always packed. Just look at that atmosphere

BCHL Roundtable Episode 9

In this latest edition of the BCHL Roundtable, Alex Rawnsley of the Powell River Kings hosts a discussion with Dan Marshall of the Nanaimo Clippers and Scott Campbell of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The topic at hand is the storylines surrounding the end of the regular season, including whether or not Vernon can still get in (Nanaimo is already mathematically eliminated), how the standings might shape up in both conferences, and what we might expect come playoff time. Enjoy!

BCHL Roundtable Episode 9 by agreb21

Evan Stack on THE TEAM 1040 in Vancouver!

After head coach Luke Pierce was interviewed just before Christmas on the big sports radio station in Vancouver, they came calling again, this time for captain Evan Stack. He was a guest on the afternoon show last Tuesday, Feb 28, ahead of Merritt's trip to Trail on Wednesday and the rematch with Penticton on Thursday. So keep that in mind when you're listening to the interview. And keep in mind that the "interviewers" are not exactly immersed in the BCHL like you probably are if you're reading this blog. You get that sense with a few inaccuracies both in this interview and in others with BCHL players and coaches (See if you can spot them). But as always, Evan Stack did a great job representing himself and the Centennials. Here's the interview:

Evan Stack TEAM 1040 by agreb21

Another Valiant Effort vs the Vees Falls Short

The Cents put in a heck of an effort for a team playing in back to back nights with limited sleep, but after going punch for punch with the Vees all night, a lack of discipline cost them in the 3rd period and made the difference in a 5-3 loss, snapping Merritt's 6 game points streak, and extending Penticton's win streak to 38

• the 1st period was a tough one for the Cents, obviously struggling to find their groove in a back to back situation. They only had 7 shots and maybe 1 scoring chance all period long, making backup Chad Katunar's night fairly easy to start

• after killing off an early Penticton power play, the Cents got their own, but they struggled to generate much of a set-up for most of the night, and got burned by Steven Fogarty. He made a nifty move from the right wing to dangle out front and throw a backhander on goal, and after Chimienti made the save, it appeared like Benik put in the rebound, but the goal was credited to Fogarty, so it might have bounced off a Merritt skate and in off the original shot. It was the Vees 15th shorthanded goal of the season, opening the scoring less than 4 minutes in and silencing the enthusiastic crowd

• just past the 8 minute mark, the Vees would extend their lead as the Cents got caught up ice, and Penticton broke in on a 4 on 2 rush.... Mario Lucia used his 3 options as decoys, looked off the passing option, and snapped a perfect shot from the left circle over the blocker of Chimienti, knocking off the water bottle and making it 2-0

• the Cents didn't have much of a push-back in the 1st, and failed to challenge Chad Katunar, who appeared to battle the puck and his rebound control all night

• Lino Chimienti gave up 2 goals on 11 first period shots, but he made some real clutch stops to keep it at just a 2 goal hockey game, and he was very clutch all night, giving his team a chance over and over

• just like last night in Trail, the Cents found their legs and found a new gear in the 2nd period, outshooting the Vees 13-9, crashing the crease and making life a lot more difficult for Katunar

• Merritt got on the board just 30 seconds in, when Soquila centered a pass from behind the goal to Brears, and with Katunar down earlier, Brears one-timer a shot from the bottom of the left circle over the left shoulder of Katunar to cut the deficit to 2-1

• just over 2 minutes later, after Brandon Bruce won the draw, Chanter and Pfeil got the puck towards the net, and Bruce banged in the rebound through the legs of Katunar to tie the game at 2, firing up the bench and the large crowd on hand (714 was a great draw for a Thursday night)

• after the teams kept trading penalties (first 4 power plays for both teams were cut off by the other team taking a penalty), in a 4 on 4 situation, Stecher was stopped on a point shot, Depourcq was robbed on the rebound by Chimienti, but the 3rd try by Loik snuck in through Lino's legs on the backhand to give the Vees their lead back at 3-2

• the Cents weren't deterred by this Penticton goal and kept coming hard the rest of the period... suddenly after killing off a late Penticton power play, Billy Marshall rushed the puck from his own zone down the left wing, and blasted a slap shot from the left circle over the blocker, short side on Katunar to tie the game with just 12 seconds left in the 2nd period... it was 3-3 going to the 3rd

• in the 3rd period, the Centennials were able to keep up with the Vees just fine, but they were playing with fire by taking too many penalties, and they finally got burned... already shorthanded, Brent Fletcher threw a vicious hit on Wade Murhpy in open ice in the Merritt zone, drawing lots of blood and keeping Murphy down for quite some time. Fletcher was given 5 minutes for a hit to the head and a game misconduct. As it turned out, this would be the Cents ultimate undoing

• Penticton looked very dangerous on the 5 on 3, but it wasn't a very pretty goal that gave them their lead back. After Lino and the penalty killers stood tall, a face-off win for Penticton paid off, as Mike Reilly blasted a slap shot from the left point that beat Chimienti low to the glove side, re-gaining Penticton's lead at 4-3, and they would never look back

• the Cents did an admirable job killing off the rest of the marathon power play (and were outstanding overall on the night going 6 for 7 on the PK against the league's best power play), but they just didn't generate enough scoring chances the rest of the way

• Chad Katunar settled down a bit in the Vees net, coming up clutch on a couple of saves to maintain the lead, and his team helped him out with very effective time management. Ultimately, the Cents just didn't have enough time, with less than 10 minutes left after killing the marathon power play

• the Cents came close late in the game and pulled Lino for an extra attacker... but as Brayden Low got the puck sideways for Stack off the face-off, Stack tried to feed the line for Marshall, but it was picked off by Joey Benik, and he skated the puck down the ice for an empty net breakaway, making no mistake, and finishing off the game at 5-3 for the Vees

*the Cents once again proved that they can keep pace with arguably the best Junior A team of all-time, but were at a disadvantage having played the night before and it showed at times. The Vees once again proved that they were more clutch, using their 3rd period 5 on 3 to get the goal they would need to keep the streak going

*the Cents finished their season series vs Penticton at 1-5-0-2, getting outscored by the Vees 37-14. But they were much closer in the 2nd half of the season series than the first, and the stats are skewed by 2 off-games, a 6-1 loss and a 9-0 loss. I'm sure the fans left the rink tonight feeling at least a little optimistic about what the Cents might be able to do should they get through to the 2nd round and meet Penticton

My 3 stars from the broadcast were:

1) Curtis Loik - 1G, 1A
2) Mike Reilly - 1G
3) Billy Marshall - 1G

Here are the highlights from the last game of the season series with Penticton that saw Merritt's point streak end at 6 games:

Penticton @ Merritt Mar 1 Highlights by agreb21

PREVIEW: Penticton @ Merritt

Merritt: 31-17-2-6 (70pts) - 2nd in Interior (4pts up on Prince George, though PG has 2 games in hand)
LAST GAME: 4-3 OT win in Trail yesterday (6 game points streak with 11 of possible 12 points)

Penticton: 49-3-0-2 (100pts) - 1st in Interior (30 pts up on 2nd place Merritt with 2 games in hand)
LAST GAME: 4-1 win over Prince George on Sunday (37th straight win)

Season Series: Merritt 1-4-0-2 (outscored by Penticton 32-11)

• last night was a solid lesson learned by the Centennials, in a game where they could afford to learn a lesson and still win. That luxury can't be afforded tonight

• despite the OT loss on Saturday and the minor fumble last night, the Cents are still on an impressive 6 game points streak with 11 points, following a 6 game losing slide with 0 points. So you have to think this is, again, good timing to see Penticton

• motivation tonight is oozing out of all corners: first of all, it's Penticton, Merritt's most hated/heated rival, 2nd of course, it's the 37 game win streak they want to snap, and stop the Vees from tying the 89/90 New West Royals record of 38 straight games undefeated. Also, it's a chance for Merritt to build on their own streak of 6 games, and to make them a force to be reckoned with come playoff time by finishing on a tear. And it's the 8th and final meeting of the season between the two clubs, meaning that the Cents obviously want to send a message, and prove to Penticton, themselves and the league that they should not be counted out in case of a 2nd round matchup with the Vees

• mentally, the Cents are at a bit of a disadvantage, having traveled 12 hours on the bus yesterday, including a very later/early morningn arrival back in town. So the players did not get much proper sleep, and might be a little rusty to start the game of, simply due to lack of proper rest. But at the same time, they know they have a weekend off coming up, and they know what's at stake, so pure adrenaline might take them through this game after all before they can realize that they're even tired

• the Vees always come at you with 4 lines that can score, so it was good timing for Merritt to get contributions from all 4 lines last night. Hopefully it was everyone feeling good about themselves, and confident in their ability to not only create chances, but also finish them, one of the number one keys to come out with 2 points, which didn't happen on Saturday

• although I'm sure the storyline will be downplayed, this is a huge game for Lino Chimienti. It's the final real tough challenge of the season for Merritt, with only Salmon Arm and Trail the rest of the way, so coach Luke Pierce needs to see how Lino matches up against this team. The bar has been set high with Tyler's performance vs the Vees on Saturday, so Lino will likely have to shine for Merritt to win and to get the starting job come playoffs, where Luke Pierc will likely roll just one guy

• the Centennials now know the recipe to be successful against this team. Take the body whenever you can, get them playing frustrated and making bad decisions. Basically, they just need a copy and paste from Saturday, minus the 2nd period lull and plus a little more finish. If they get that, mixed with a stellar performance from Chimienti between the pipes, then the Cents might just make history by being the first team to end the marathon, record-setting win streak currently at 37 games for the Vees

• the Cents are getting a definite assist tonight from the hockey gods, as the Vees will be without arguably the top goaltender in the league, Michael Garteig, and without their leading scorer, and 2nd leading scorer in the league, Connor Reilly (86 points in 54 games). Both are out due to injury for an unspecified period of time, but even though the Vees have plenty of depth without them, these are arguably their 2 most important players out of the lineup, which is a definite blow on the ice and to the mental psyche, and makes this all-star team more than a little vulnerable. Without these guys, and taking on the Cents in Merritt, this will likely be the toughest game the Vees have had throughout this entire streak

• as a result of the injuries (as well as a lingering injury to 20-year-old defenseman Kyle Beaulieu), the Vees will have 2 AP's in the lineup tonight, both from the Summerland Steam of the KIJHL, who finished last in the Okanagan division and missed the playoffs. The backup for regular backup Chad Katunar will be 20-year-old Chris Hurry, who gets one last chance to suit up in his junior career, although he's not expected to see any time between the pipes. Meanwhile, on the 4th line, the Vees will have quite the player; 18-year Jordan McCallum led the Steam in scoring this season with 65 points in 46 games, and he also suited up in 7 games as an AP with the Vees, scoring a goal in that span vs Trail. Meanwhile Curtis Loik will move to the top line with Mario Lucia and Travis St. Denis. No surprises on the other end for Merritt.

Opening face-off tonight is at 7 o'clock at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena. Our pre-game show starts at 6:30 on Q101 FM in Merritt. You can also tune in online at Q101.ca or through the BCHL fanzone at BCHL.ca. Oh, and there's also the pay per view feed of course! (and this is a must-watch)

Here are the projected lineups for both teams, with Lino Chimienti getting the start between the pipes, Payton Schaefer drawing back in on the 4th line, and Ross Mancuso once again a healthy scratch:

MERRITT:

Regan Soquila (93)           Chad Brears (91)          Evan Stack (9)
           
Silvan Harper (92)            Brent Fletcher (92)        Jakob Reichert (93)
          
Carter Shinkaruk (91)       Brandon Bruce (93)       Sean Maktaak (92)

Payton Schaefer (93)         Brayden Low (94)        Brendan Lamont (94)


                       Reece Willcox (94)           Brandon Pfeil (92)

                    Richard Sabourin (92)         Dylan Chanter (95)

                        Billy Marshall (91)            Tyler Martin (93)

       
                                          Lino Chimienti (91)           
                            
                                            Tyler Steel (93)       

SCRATCHES:

Ross Mancuso (92)


PENTICTON:

Mario Lucia (93)                   Travis St.Denis (92)          Curtis Loik (93)
            
Joey Benik (92)                    Steven Fogarty (93)          Bryce Gervais (92)
    
Logan Johnston (91)              Ryan Reilly (91)               Wade Murphy (93)
              
Jordan McCallum (93) AP      Cody DePourcq (95)         Grant Nicholson (93)


                           Mike Reilly (93)        Troy Stecher (94)
      
                       Nick Buchanan (91)       Zach Urban (93)    
       
                          Chad Bannor (92)         DJ Jones (92)

       
                                         Chad Katunar (93)       
  
                                        Chris Hurry (91) AP       

SCRATCHES:

Kyle Beaulieu (91) - INJ
Connor Reilly (91) - INJ
Michael Garteig (91) - INJ

Cents Use OT to Cap an Epic Comeback in Trail

It was no work of art, but the Merritt Centennials learned a lesson, battled adversity, and came out on top after being pushed to the brink by the Smoke-Eaters:

• the 1st period by Merritt couldn't be labeled "bad", but it was very average under the circumstances and under the expectations. They seemed a little too relaxed and comfortable, almost like they were expecting the 2 points would fall into their lap naturally

• despite a few quality scoring chances, Lyndon Stanwood was really on his game between the pipes for the Smokies, as he made his 13 first period saves look effortless and appeared to be in a groove

• halfway through the 1st, the Cents were caught in their zone, unable to get the puck out, and after another turnover at the blueline, the puck came to the right corner for Erik Cooper, who's sharp-angled shot attempt deflected off a skate and in. At first it looked like it might have gone off a Merritt skate, but they later credited the goal to Garrett McMullen, in a period he'll likely never forget

• just 2 minutes later, after Billy Marshall made a nice one-handed poke-check on Cooper, who tried to cut in up the middle, the puck came out to the top of the left circle, where McMullen was there once again to lean into a slap shot, beating Steel short side, off his right pad and in. This is one I think Steel would have liked to have back, but it was definitely a hard shot and difficult to pick up, as McMullen got all of it

• the Cents again came knocking on Stanwood's door on a few occasions, but he was there with an answer each and every time. Whenever there was a rebound, the defense was always there to clear it

• just when it looked like the damage would be over for the 1st period, in the last minute, McMullen was at it again.... off a rush, his slap shot from the top of the right circle was blocked, but it came right back on his stick where he re-loaded, and wired one low stick side on Steel to make it 3-0 Trail through 20 minutes. 3 goals in a row for McMullen in 1 period, and it was a natural hat-trick. Like I mentioned, a period he'll never forget

(Photo from Randy Emery in Trail, courtesy of Chris Wahl's Smoke-Eaters blog)

• clearly the pep talk in the 1st intermission rubbed off on the Centennials. They came out in the 2nd flying and were absolutely dominant throughout the entire 20 minutes, outshooting the Smokies 17-5 and basically playing most of the period in the offensive zone. Unfortunately Stanwood stole the show again, and looked like he might just frustrate the Cents right to the end. It worked through 40 minutes, as the Smokies went to the locker room still up by 3

• despite the monumental task in front of them, the Cents came storming out of the gate in the 3rd period as well, particularly the top line of Stack, Brears and Soquila who looked possessed in the final 40 minutes. And finally, in this period, Superman Stanwood lost his cape

• nearly 2 minutes in, after a dominant shift in the offensive zone, Sabourin came up with a great hold at the left point, got the puck for Lamont on the halfboards, and Lamont walked into the slot and wristed one through the legs of Stanwood, snapping a personal 10 game pointless drought, and giving his team some confidence that Stanwood WAS in fact human and beatable

• just over 9 minutes into the period, the Cents again did a great job of holding the line to keep the puck in, and then after a lucky bounce off the glass that kept the puck in the Trail zone, a scramble in front led to the puck coming free at the side of the goal for Reichert, and the big man shoveled a backhander past Stanwood to cut the deficit to just 1

• the Reichert goal appeared to make the Cents even more hungry. The top line came back into the offensize zone quickly and established a lot of pressure... they simply wanted the puck more and it paid off. From the corner, Soquila got the puck to Stack in the left circle, who snapped a shot on from a sharp angle, creating a juicy rebound for Brears to pounce on and tie the game at 3 just 38 seconds later (also tying Evan Stack for the team lead in goals with his 27th)

• it looked like Merritt would just snowball their momentum into the game-winning goal shortly, but it didn't happen. The Smoke-Eaters woke up a bit and started to fight back, forcing Tyler Steel to be extra sharp in order to make sure the comeback was worth something

• the two teams were fairly evenly matched in the final 10 minutes, but nobody was able to capitalize, and so after 2 months without overtime, for the 2nd straight game, the Cents went the distance

• in the overtime, it appeared clear that Merritt was the more desperate team, needing the point to secure 2nd and home ice advantage for the playoffs. They carried play throughout, outshooting the Smoke-Eaters 3-1, and their 3rd shot is all they would need. Marshall and Sabourin played catch at the line, setting up Brandon Bruce for a one-timer in the slot, a shot which he fanned on, fooling goaltender Lyndon Stanwood, as the puck squirted through his legs less than 2 minutes into overtime for the game winner

*After failing to score in the first 40 minutes, and only 1 goal in 110 minutes as it turned out, the Cents broke out from all sides, and got goals from 3 different lines in the 3rd and another line in overtime. So for at least the 3rd straight game this season, Merritt goal at least 1 goal from every single line. That is extremely difficult to do, even for the best of teams

*Tyler Steel's play will go under the radar again, which is unfortunate. He faced 3 bad breaks in the 1st period, but was stellar the rest of the way, giving his team a chance. One of the most memorable saves was in the 2nd period, where he only faced 5 shots, but one of them was a point-blank tip-in try by McDougall, set up by a centering pass from Baltus... it clearly should have beat Steel, but he dragged his right pad and made a very underrated save, keeping the game at 3-0, and giving hish team a chance. He would give them a "chance" the rest of the 40 minutes and overtime, and they would ultimately reward him for that

*the Smoke-Eaters were clearly getting worn down by the end, playing the entire game with only 3 lines (9 forwards) and 2 D-pairings (4 defensemen). It took time, but clearly in the 3rd, the Cents were able to take advantage

*Merritt had only 1 power play all night, it was in the 1st period, but did a great job on the PK, going 4 for 4, including two 3rd period power plays that could have sealaed the deal for Trail, but instead turned the momentum in Merritt's favour at a time where it was 3-1, and ready for the Smokies to put away

*the win moves the Cents 4 points up on Prince George for that 2nd spot and home ice in the playoffs, though the Spruce Kings still have 2 games in hand. They will see Trail a couple of times this weekend themselves, trying to stay in the hunt for 2nd

Here are the audio highlights from Merritt's Leap Year/Leap Day trip to the Kootenays:

Merritt @ Trail Feb 29 Highlights by agreb21