PREVIEW: Vernon @ Merritt

Merritt: 26-17-2-5 (59 pts) - 3rd in Interior (first time since Nov. 18 they've fallen out of 2nd)
LAST GAME: 4-1 loss to Vernon on Friday (6th loss in a row and 7th in 8 games)

Vernon: 25-21-1-2 (53 pts) - 5th in Interior (2 points behind Chilliwack)
LAST GAME: 3-1 loss to Chilliwack on Saturday (ended a 5 game win streak)

Season Series: Merritt 3-2-1-1 (outscored by Vernon 16-15)

• this is the only game on the BCHL schedule tonight, and it will have plenty of eyes/ears on it, as the result of this game will have plenty of implications in the standings. There's lots of intrigue for this one

• this is also the 8th and final meeting between the two clubs this season, and will decide who wins the season series. Considering Merritt is only 6 points up on Vernon and the Vipers have 1 game in hand, there is a good chance the two teams could wind up tied, in which case the season series might become very important in deciding the tie-breaker

• the Centennials are officially in the longest slump of the season with 0 points in their last 6 games, and with 7 losses in 8 games, this has officially negated the 7 game win streak which led up to this. Their 6 game winless streak earlier this season (games 3-8 of the season) consisted of 3 overtime points, so this is a real mental hurdle for the players. 
• Adversity has been pretty much maxed out, and with their slip into 3rd place for the first time in nearly 3 months, the main concern has turned into simply making the playoffs, which will likely take at least 6 wins in their last 10 games (maybe 7 or 8 to get back into 2nd and home ice advantage) 

• with morale likely at a season low, this is exactly the time where coaching comes into play, to keep the players upbeat, positive and motivated. The captains (Evan Stack with Billy Marshall and Richard Sabourin) will have more responsibility now as well, as they will have to be assistant coaches as well, and make sure there is no sulking or, as they say, "feeling sorry for yourself". There is no time to deal with that, as the breathing room in the standings has pretty much fully evaporated

• the last game with the Vipers on Friday was a bit of a saw-off. The Cents didn't get "outplayed", but again they struggled to finish their chances, and a couple of mental blunders in the 2nd made the difference. They seemed to simply get "outskilled" by a healthy Vipers team that showed a little more desperation again and won the game with "finish" that Merritt couldn't find. Obviously tonight, Merritt will have to find a whole new level of desperation and find the "finish" on home ice that they couldn't find on the road

• if you look for "baby steps" during a skid, last game was the first one during this slump that Merritt won the special teams battle, as they went 1 for 4 on the power play, and Vernon went 0 for 4. It was the first game in the slump Merritt didn't give up a power play goal
• overall, the stats still look ugly, as Merritt has been outscored 27-5 during this 6 game slump, and haven't scored more than 1 goal during the last 5 games (only 3 goals). Going back 9 games now, Merritt has only scored 13 goals, and 12 of those have been from the 1st line. This offensive drought has put Merritt into a tie with Langley for the 2nd lowest scoring team in the league, averaging just 2.9 goals per game

• despite the special teams win in the last game, during the 6 game skid, Merritt power play is still just 2 for 26, while their penalty kill has given up 10 goals on 28 opposition opportunities. This is polar opposite from the 7 game win streak, where Merritt had a 10 for 21 stretch on the power play, and at one point the penalty kill went a gaudy 55 for 60 over 17 games
• overall, there isn't a whole lot "new" to talk about, as the issues have mostly remained the same during the slump. But for the players on the ice, they can't think about any of the struggles or the numbers. The only number they need to concern themselves with is in the standings, where they are currently in 3rd, and in serious danger of falling to 4th or even out of the playoffs if they go winless this week vs Vernon today, Coquitlam Friday and Chilliwack Saturday. It's time to summon the strength that only desperation can bring!

***SHOCKING FACT: If Merritt was in the Coastal Conference, they would currently be in 5th, 3 points back of Coquitlam for the final playoff spot

• when you look at keys tonight, they remain pretty much the same. The 7 game win streak didn't see the Cents trail for a single second... meanwhile, the 6 game skid has seen them goalless in every 1st period, and never once play with the lead. That could be a big difference, and the records indicate that. When scoring 1st, Merritt is 19-2-1-4, but when giving up the first goal, Merritt is 6-15-1-2. Playing with a lead could make all the difference mentally, and will likely result in a different result at the end of the game
• despite the fact that Vernon is the hotter team having won 5 of their last 6, the home and road records could play a huge factor in this contest. At home, Merritt is an impressive 14-5-0-4, while on the road, the Vipers have lost 13 of their last 14 games (the lone exception being an epic last minute comeback in PG when down 4-2), and have an overall record of 7-15-0-1. This could be a saving grace for Merritt
• finally, looking at the schedule the rest of the way, Vernon has 7 of their final 11 games (including tonight) on the road, and a few very tough opponents. Their only games where they'll be a guaranteed "favourite" to win will be their last 2 vs Salmon Arm. Outside of that, they have games against Penticton, Powell River, Cowichan Valley, Westside, Chilliwack, Prince George. It'll be a tough trek, so a Merritt win tonight could be one of the last straws in the Vipers playoff hopes, especially if they can't turn their fortunes around on the road

Opening face-off tonight is at 7 o'clock from the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena. Pre-game show on Q101 FM starts at 6:30. You can also tune in at Q101.ca or the BCHL fanzone...

*Here are the projected lineups for tonight's game, which sees Luke Pierce go back to his regular combinations, Lino Chimienti starting in net, and Tyler Martin sitting out as 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)        Ross Mancuso (92)

       
                                           Lino Chimienti (91)       

                                             Tyler Steel (93)       

SCRATCHES

Tyler Martin (93)


VERNON:

Mike Zalewski (92)         Adam Tambellini (94)       Aaron Hadley (93)
               
Patrick McGillis (91)        Colton Cyr (91)              Ben Gamache (91)

Colton Sparrow (93)        Darren Nowick (91)         John Knisley (92)
               
Brendan Persley (93)       Jedd Soleway (94)          Riley Hunt (95)


                        Brett Corkey (92)            Turner Lawson (94) 
       
                        Marc Hetnik (92)             Geoff Crisfield (93)
       
                         Ryan Renz (93)             Sean Robertson (91)

       
                                           Kirby Halcrow (91)       

                                       Danny Todosychuk (94)      

SCRATCHES

Luke Juha (93)
Max Mowat (93)

"On the Grid" Featuring Evan Stack

When the Centennials were in Vernon last Friday night (Feb 3), the guys from hockeytube.net (a crew from Vernon Radio Station 107.5 KISS FM) interviewed Merritt captain Evan Stack in a very intriguing player profile, reminiscent of our "Meet the Cents" feature, but with a few more "fun" questions. It turned out quite well, in large part thanks to Evan, who was a very willing participant.

Strangled By The Snakes, Merritt's Skid Now At 6

Vernon's 2nd and game-winning goal by Knisley (courtesy of John O'Connor/Merritt News)

It wasn't as dominant as last weekend, but the Cents put up a heck of a fight (figuratively and literally), only to be stymied again offensively and burned for their mistakes defensively

• the 1st period was very evenly played, with both teams having spurts in the offensive zone and both goaltenders looking very sharp (Steel and Halcrow). Both teams had a couple of brain farts in their own zone, but the goalies were there to bail out their respective team

• to continue the "bad luck" storyline, Vernon got a very lucky bounce off a skate to draw first blood, when 16 year old rookie Riley Hunt got a loose puck on the right hashmark, which he was able to snap over Steel's blocker between the post and crossbar to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead (Hunt's 1st goal of the BCHL). It was the 6th straight game that Merritt surrendered the 1st goal during this skid, and also would wind up being the 6th straight goal they didn't get a 1st period goal

• the 2nd period was also quite even, and the Centennials looked hungry when they were given the 1st power play of the game. They looked dominant and determined working the puck around, until Evan Stack finished off a bit of a broken play in the slot to get the Cents on the board and on even grounds. The PP goal was a big one to break the 1 for 22 funk, including an 0 for 10 funk. It was the 13th goal only in the past 9 games, the 12th by the 1st line

• with the game up for grabs, the Cents got their 2nd power play but couldn't figure out the formula that made them successful the first time... in search of their first lead since Jan 21 vs Victoria, they were denied time and time again by Halcrow and the Vipers aggressive dmen (and even forwards)

• right after Tyler Steel made 2 remarkable stops back to back on Nowich (one on a clear cut breakaway), as the lead hung in the balance, Chanter fanned on a clear around the boards, and his turnover led to Sparrow centering for an open Nowick who went back door to Knisley (pictured above) for a 2-1 Vipers lead... again ZERO chance for Tyler Steel

• as if that wasn't enough of a kick in the groin, the Vipers would cash once more VERY late in the 2nd period, as Michael Zalewski muscled his way out of the halfwall past Chanter and into the slot, and wired a perfect shot from the left hashmark over the glove of Steel, giving the Vipers a 3-1 lead with just 1.5 seconds left... this was the mental nail in the coffin for Merritt, and they could never recover

• the 3rd period was not what the Centennials were after. The Vipers struck quickly on an amazing, individual play by Darren Nowick (best player on the ice tonight) as he walked around a sprawled out Marshall and dodged the check of Sabourin before circling the goal and finishing off a backhand wraparound past Steel to make it 4-1. This was the end of the night for Steel, who was frustrated upon getting pulled, and understandibly, not getting much help on the goals against him or offensively. Chimienti finished the night strongly making all 6 stops he was asked to, including a couple of real tough ones

• offensively, the Centennials didn't have much mojo left in the 3rd period once they got down 4-1, and I believe they only had 1 shot or so through the first 5 minutes, for a total of 6 in the period. Because things weren't going right offensively, the Cents turned to physical intimidation to deal with their frustration. The 3rd period saw 3 separate fights including Harper, Maktaak and Marshall. Marshall's last fight resulted after he was egged on my Turner Lawson during a stoppage, and it was the longest and most spirited of the bunch, with both guys getting plenty of shots in

• the win for the Vipers was their 5th in a row, and they will get a chance to make it 6 tonight in Chilliwack, which is also a chance to take sole possession of the 4th and final playoff spot in the Interior Conference, before the Cents and Vipers meet again, one final time, back in Merritt on Tuesday

*if Prince George beats Trail tonight and Salmon Arm tomorrow, they will knock out Merritt from their 2nd seed for the first time in about 3 months (with equal games played at that point). Both Chilliwack and Vernon are knocking on Merritt's door as well, entering Saturday 6 points back of the Cents with 2 games in hand. The playoffs are suddenly far from a guarantee as the Cents get set to host the Vipers on Tuesday night!

Here are the highlights from Merritt's final game of the season in Vernon (sorry for the new, big, bulky, strange media player. I personally don't like it, but it's been forced on me by soundcloud, and I'm currently investigating to see if there's a way to switch back to the old player):

Merritt @ Vernon Feb 10 Highlights by agreb21

PREVIEW: Merritt @ Vernon

Merritt 26-16-2-5 (59 pts) - 2nd in Interior
LAST GAME: 3-1 loss to Westside on Saturday (lost 5 in a row and 6 of 7)

Vernon 24-20-1-2 (51 pts) - Tied for 4th (identical record) with Chilliwack
LAST GAME: 3-1 win over Trail on Tuesday (won 4 in a row)

Season Series: Merritt 3-1-1-1 (outscored Vernon 14-12)

• after the way Merritt played recently over the skid (last 3 games, but especially the last 2), it's clear that right now it's nearly 100% a mental battle... the shots, the scoring chances are up, but hardly anything is winding up in the back of the net. But it's not just the forwards... the entire team is in a mental slump, and I imagine it's tough to visualize "winning" right now, which is what it takes

• everything that could go wrong right now is going wrong, and bad luck is certainly playing a factor... the law of average says that, under the same effort, things have to take a turn for the better very soon, provided that the effort and "desire" stays equal

• for those that are hitting the panic button (and I understand it's hard not to), keep in mind it was just 3 weeks ago, on January 20th, when the Centennials were on cloud 9 and looked capable of a long playoff run, including an upset over the all-mighty Penticton Vees (who have just set the all-time BCHL record for 30 straight wins). That was the day they left for Alberni Valley on a 7 game winning streak, and looked poised to enter their matchup with Penticton on a 10 game win streak. But the Bulldogs stole that night's game with 3 seconds left, and the rest, as they say, is history...

• the 7 game win streak saw the Centennials outscore their opponents 24-7. They scored 1st in every game, never trailed for a second, and finished the last 4 games of the streak going 6 for 22 on the power play and killing off 18 straight penalties

• fast forward 3 weeks, and zero'ing in on the 5 game losing skid, Merritt has been outscored 23-4 (4 goals on 200 shots), they've given up the first goal in every single game, never led for a second, haven't scored in the 1st period at all (only 2 goals in the first 2 periods through 5 games). The power play has gone 1 for 22 (4.5%), and the penalty kill has given up goals in every game, 10 goals total on 24 opposition opportunities (58.3%). Overall, the Cents have outshot the opposition in 4 of the 5 games (except Penticton), for a 5-game total of 200-168. That means that, combined, the goalies are averaging a 4.60 GAA and .863 SV%) during the slump, a far cry from their potential, when you consider that Lino Chimienti was recently the BCHL player of the week with 2 straight shutouts, and Tyler recently came off a 3 game winning streak where he gave up just 1 goal in each game

• over the last 8 games, the Cents have managed just 12 goals, and 11 of them have come from the 1st line... imagine the pressure on the 1st line to score every game and on the goalies to be near flawless each game... it's simply too much of a burden. There are a lot of guys on marathon point and goal droughts, which is the opposite of what made the Cents so successful earlier, when all 4 lines showed the ability to score, and not just kill clock

• based on all the above stats, it's clear that there are no scapegoats for this drought. There isn't a single thing or individual players that are the cause. The success was entirely due to a "team effort" and this is definitely a "team slump" that the guys have to dig out of collectively

• the matchup with Vernon will be a real tough one, as the Vipers have found their groove and are getting healthy. They've won 4 in a row, so this is a couple of trains going in opposite directions. This is also the first taste of the playoffs the Vipers have had in months, as they are tied for the 4th spot with Chilliwack, and have a chance to take sole possession of that 4th spot when they play in Chilliwack tomorrow. The Snakes are full of confidence and hungry as heck right now, so watch for them to make a big push, especially early in the game

• today marks exactly ONE month until the end of the regular season on March 10th, and the standings indicate a real need for urgency and desperation. The breathing room is extremely limited: the Cents lead for 2nd place is 5 points on Prince George, but the Spruce Kings have 2 games in hand, and play 3 games this weekend against Trail, Trail and Salmon Arm... 3 very winnable games. If Merritt loses tonight, there is a very good chance they are in 3rd place come Tuesday's home game vs Vernon (they've held down 2nd for about 3 months now). And don't forget both Vernon and Chilliwack of course, who are 8 points back with 2 games in hand (with a win today vs Merritt, tomorrow vs Chilliwack and Tuesday again vs Merritt, Vernon could cut the deficit to 2 points with 1 game in hand). The battle is not just for 2nd place anymore, but to remain in a playoff spot outright. The slump has to end NOW!

Face-off tonight is at 7 o'clock from the Wesbild Centre in Vernon. Our pre-game show gets going at 6:30 on Q101 FM in Merritt. You can also tune in online at Q101.ca or through the BCHL fanzone.

*Here is the projected lineup for the Cents tonight, with Brandon Bruce drawing back in on the 4th line, Tyler Martin a healthy scratch, and Tyler Steel getting the start (his 2nd straight) in his hometown:

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


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

                        Billy Marshall (91)        Dylan Chanter (95)


                                           Tyler Steel (93)

                                         Lino Chimienti (91)

SCRATCHES:

Tyler Martin (93)

BCHL Roundtable Episode 6

In this edition of the roundtable, I host a discussion with Chris Wahl of the Trail Smoke-Eaters and Alex Rawnsley of the Powell River Kings on some of the top youngsters (16 and 17 year olds) in the BCHL, their impact now and potential down the road. We also talk about the rule of having to have a 16 and 17 year old on your roster: Enjoy!

BCHL Roundtable Episode 6 by agreb21

Deja-vu In Westbank: Rodrigue Stands On His Head, Warriors Extend Merritt's Losing Streak to 5

The storyline remained identical to the night before and the skid as a whole, as the Centennials fired plenty of shots on net but constantly got frustrated with no results:

• the first period saw the Cents come out on fire, seemingly having put the previous night in Vernon behind them, as they looked good in the first half of the period, and got even better as it went on. 

• Before the Warriors even got their first shot (around the 5 minute mark) Chad Brears set up Regan Soquila on a 2 on 1 for a wide open net, but as Soquila fanned on the one-timer and put it wide, it appeared to be the preview of another "one of those nights", which it turned out to be

• Merritt's 1st power play looking extremely dangerous and had multiple prime scoring chances, including a couple more empty net looks for Low and Stack, but somehow Warriors netminder Dwayne Rodrigue found a way to keep them out, and slowly built up Merritt's frustration

• the pace of the 1st period picked up as it went along, and even though it finished scoreless, it was very exciting for the fans at hand, including the enthusiastic crowd on the Cents fan bus

• the 2nd period was a little more evenly matched, and again the pace was very fast. But the storyline remained the same for Merritt, as they were constantly getting stymied on quality opportunities, which they were able to create for themselves all night long (to their credit, they never had an extended lull in this game)

• suddenly, against the flow of play, with Merritt still frustrated offensively, the Warriors had an extended shift in the Merritt zone, and finished it off with a pretty 3-way passing play that Basara capped with a one-timer on top of the crease on a set-up behind the goal from Pope... suddenly the tone of the game changed, as Merritt gave up the 1st goal for the 5th straight game (to coincide with the 5 game skid)

• to the Cents credit, they didn't let up and had a solid bounceback after giving up the goal against... after so much bad luck, they finally got some good luck, as it looked like Reece Wilcox' pass from the left halfboards was intended to go to the corner, but took a fortuitous bounce to Brears in the left circle, who surprised Rodrigue with a quick shot short side over the right shoulder, Merritt's 1st goal in 113 minutes of hockey overall, dating back to their game in Chilliwack

• the equalizer was a huge weight off their shoulders, and the Cents seemed to get a big boost off it, as they pushed the tempo for the remaining 3 minutes and came close to taking their first lead of the entire 5 game losing skid, but were once again thwarted by Rodrigue and the Warriors defense 

• Tyler Steel also settled down in the 2nd period after fighting the puck a bit in the 1st, and he made some big saves that gave his team a chance to break the ice first

• both teams actually made several great plays defensively, backchecking hard, blocking shots, and breaking up passes on the doorstep, so the effort and desperation was clear on both sides

• the 3rd period was much the same as the rest of the game... the Centennials carried most of the play and generated quality scoring chances, but continued to get snake-bit. They seemed to get more and more frustrated by the passing minute, but still held out hope in a 1-1 tie

• the turning point was the Warriors power play, which didn't look all that dangerous, but suddenly broke through with a Monk one-timer from the right point that beat Steel low to the stick side, a shot I'm sure he'd like to have back. You could sense the frustration on the Merritt bench, and this is a setback they weren't able to overcome

• the Warriors went into a very efficient lockdown mode from here as the Cents were unable to generate much of a buzz in the offensive zone, and then a great defensive play by Hochhausen led to a great offensive play at the other end as he got around Mancuso and tucked the puck through Tyler Steel with 2 and a half minutes left for the insurance marker

• the Centennials finished the game looking like a dejected bunch, and Hochhausen just about got his 2nd goal into an empty netter but was hooked by Soquila in the dying seconds to prevent the goal (not quite a breakaway, so it was only a minor penalty instead of an automatic goal awarded)

*It's hard to be critical of a team that outshot the opposition 38-22, but once again the Warriors were more clutch and received better goaltending, though Tyler Steel was by no means bad in this game

*The same issues continue to plague Merritt, which is the inability to score first, or even IN the 1st period at all, they were beat on the special teams again, they lost the battle between the pipes, and they couldn't find the "finish" they need to break out of their offensive funk (4 goals in the 5 game skid, 12 goals in 8 games overall, with 11 of those coming from the first line)

*In a cruel twist of fate, a 7 game winning streak has turned into a 5 game losing streak and 6 losses in 7 games, and literally all the things that made Merritt so successful earlier are contributing to their biggest slump of the season right now

I'm sure it won't be a very enjoyable week off for the coaches or the players, but they'll try again to work out the kinks in practice this week, before heading to Vernon for a rematch with the Vipers on Friday

Here are the highlights from the 3-1 loss in West Kelowna:

Merritt @ Westside Feb 4 Highlights by agreb21

PREVIEW: Merritt @ Westside

Merritt 26-15-2-5 (59 pts) - 2nd in Interior
LAST GAME: 4-0 loss in Vernon last night (4th loss in a row)

Westside: 14-26-2-5 (39 pts) - 6th in Interior (12 pts back of Chilliwack, but Chiefs have 2 games in hand)
LAST GAME: 4-2 loss to Alberni Valley last night (3rd loss in a row)

Season Series: Merritt 3-1-0-2 officially, but 2-1-0-3 without the reversed OT loss from earlier (Warriors have outscored the Cents 22-19)

• after a full week off before yesterday's game, you can't use fatigue as an excuse anymore, and judging by last night's game, it certainly wasn't a factor. The fatigue has turned into anxiety for goals and points, with players getting frustrated and gripping their sticks a little tightly

• with 5 regulation losses in 6 games, this is officially the worst slump of the season (they started the season with a 6 game winless skid after their first 2 games, but that included 3 overtime points). And what's more shocking is that this came on the heels of a 7 game winning streak, the longest for the franchise in a full decade

• it's hard to figure out the priority for the Centennials right now, because you can't point to one thing being the problem: during this 4 game skid, they have been outscored 20-3 (17-1 in the last 3 games), their power play has gone an ice cold 1 for 19, (5.3%, after a recent 10 for 21 stretch), and their once dominant PK (that went 55 for 60 recently) has given up 9 goals on 21 opposition power plays (57.1%). Overall, they are goalless now in their last 76 mins of hockey, and have just 1 goal in the past 190 minutes of game action. Surprisingly, this 4 game losing skid has seen Merritt average 40 shots a night. This is where the "quality over quantity" argument obviously comes in, though there were plenty of quality-looking shots from last night

• it's now been 4 straight games, and 3 seconds shy of being 8 straight games that Merritt hasn't scored a 1st period goal, so a good start (with an offensive reward) will be a huge key for Merritt to snap out of the funk tonight in West Kelowna

• if the reason for the 1st period funk was a lack of urgency due to comfort in the standings, that comfort is gone, and a peek at the standings indicates that it's time to get desperate. Should Chilliwack win their 3 games in hand, they would be just 2 points back of Merritt, and should Prince George win their 2 games in hand, they'll be just 3 points back. That's how close the Cents are to falling to 4th place and meeting Penticton in the 1st round. Then there's the Vernon Vipers, who have 2 more meetings with Merritt over the next couple of weeks, and are threatening to overtake 4th spot. It's not just a positioning race right now for Merritt, but a race to make sure they stay in the playoffs, period

• the Warriors were big sellers at the trade deadline but still had a solid stretch of hockey before their recent 3 game funk, and they gave Merritt a run for their money in their last meeting on January 18th (a 2-1 Merritt win), which was the last win in Merritt's 7 game streak. You can expect another tight, down to the wire contest tonight

• with the Warriors sitting 14 points out of the playoffs (and Chilliwack holding 2 games in hand), the players are playing without much pressure, and just for the "fun" factor, which is always a danger to the opposition that has lots to play for, like Merritt

• it's likely that head coach Luke Pierce will go back to Tyler Steel between the pipes for this one, and the Cents might need him to come up big, the way Halcrow did yesterday. With the guys struggling to score goals, it's unlikely they will have a sudden explosion. They need a hero of some sort to snap out of this funk and get some confidence going, and that hero often needs to be the goaltender

• the season series has been a very heated one through 6 games, and with this being the final meeting of the season between the two clubs, you can bet that the Warriors would like to send a final parting messages to the Cents and play the role of "spoilers". They also have plenty of players still playing for scholarships and jobs for next season, so it's unlikely that they will lack motivation and allow Merritt an easy time in their building tonight

Opening face-off from Royal Lepage Place is at 7 o'clock. The pre-game show gets going at 6:30. You can tune in on Q101 FM in Merritt, online at Q101.ca or on the BCHL fanzone

***UPDATE:
 The lines have been juggled up bigtime for tonight, at least lines 2 through 4, as coach Luke Pierce looks for the right combinations to get some offense. Here are the very different combinations for tonight, with Brandon Bruce the lone scratch (I imagine he suffered an injury in last night's game):

Regan Soquila (93)            Chad Brears (91)         Evan Stack (9)

Carter Shinkaruk (91)        Brayden Low (93)        Jakob Reichert (93)
     
Silvan Harper (92)             Brent Fletcher (92)       Brendan Lamont (94)
       
Payton Schaefer (93)                                          Sean Maktaak (92)


                       Reece Willcox (94)        Brandon Pfeil (92)   
           
                         Tyler Martin (93)        Ross Mancuso (92)   

                        Billy Marshall (91)        Dylan Chanter (95)   

                                         Richard Sabourin (92)    
           
      
                                              Tyler Steel (93)           
  
                                            Lino Chimienti (91)          

SCRATCHES:

Brandon Bruce (93)