Merritt (10-21-0-2) @ Vernon (29-2-0-1)Last Game Played:
Saturday December 5th Vernon defeated Trail 3-2 Overtime
Sunday December 6th Prince George defeated Merritt 6-5 Overtime
Tonight is the 4th meeting of the season between the defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Vernon Vipers & the Merritt Centennials. The Vipers are riding a one game winning streak, while the Centennials are riding a three game losing streak.
Let’s take a look at the Vernon Vipers:
The Vipers currently sit #1 overall in Canada & in the league as the BCHL’s best team with a record of 29-2-0-1 five points up on the Penticton Vees. Vernon has scored 170 goals and given up the least amount of goals with just 55. The Vipers are coming off a 3-2 OT victory in Trail improving to 17-0-0-0 on the road, wich ties the 1989-90 New Westminster Royals BCHL record for most consecutive wins on the road. Vernon is 12-2-0-1 on home ice but have dropped their last two games at the Wesbild Centre. The Vipers have four players in the leagues top 20 in scoring. Mike Collins (22-27-49), Braden Pimm (14-26-40), Dylan Walchuk (13-25-38), & Connor Jones (21-15-36). Graeme Gordon & Blake Voth also lead the league as the BCHL’s top two goaltenders. Gordon with a record of 21-3 with 1 shutout and a GAA of 1.73 Voth has a record of 8-0 with 2 shutouts and a GAA of 1.49
Keys To Tonights Game:
The Vipers need to get off to a quick start and jump on a Merritt Centennials hockey club that is playing on just one days rest. The Cents come into Vernon on a five game road trip, after playing three games in three nights up North over the weekend.
How many times have we seen the Vipers play oh so well in the opening period but yet are either tied or trailing after one period of play, the team needs to burry a couple of goals and put away Merritt early.
The Vipers need to get their powerplay going, after having the leagues best powerplay the team has struggled as of late with the man advantage going 5-36 in their last 7 games.
After scoring five or more goals in 10 straight games, the Vipers havnt scored more then 3 goals in their last three games. Vernon needs to shoot more and get guys in front of the net, start paying the price in front of the goal. The Vipers have been trying to get a little too cute with their passes and plays lately.
Merritt maybe 2nd last in the Interior Division but do have a few kids that can put the puck in the net. The Vipers need to watch, Dustin Johnson (19-11-30), Jordan Soquila (12-17-29), Colton Sobchak (10-19-29), Derek Hills (11-17-28), Andrew Pickering (6-20-26) & Jeff Jones (13-12-25)
Players To Watch:
Mike Collins (22-27-49)
Braden Pimm (14-26-40)
Dylan Walchuk (13-25-38)
Kellen Jones (7-29-36)
Connor Jones (21-15-36)
Jonathan Milhouse (9-23-32)
Cory Kane (12-17-29)
Rob Short (12-16-28)
Dan Nycholat (4-19-23)
Cole Ikkala (10-13-23)
Bryce Kakoske (8-15-23)
Kevin Kraus (3-16-19)
Adam Thompson (2-11-13)
Graeme Gordon (21-3 Record-1 Shutout-1.73 GAA)
Let’s take a look at the Merritt Centennials:
The Centennials currently sit in 8th place in the Interior Division with a record of 10-21-0-2 one point back of the Trail Smoke Eaters. The Cents have scored 116 goals but have troubles keeping the puck out of their net giving up 193 goals. Merritt is 10-7-0-0 on home ice but struggles away from home having yet to win a game going 0-14-0-2 on the road. Merritt is 2-7-0-1 in their last 10 games. Derek Hills has points in five straight games. Tonight is the fourth game of a current five game road trip for the Centennials who dropped all three games up North over the weekend. Next stop after facing the Vipers is a date with the Trail Smoke Eaters in Trail. The Cents are 0-3 against the Vipers this season and have been outscored 23-7. Defenceman, Steve Tresierra and Cents head coach, Luke Pierce will once again face their former team. Jeff Jones & David Sabey who both were cut by the Vipers during training camp-pre season will want to play well against Vernon to prove Mark Ferner wrong. Cents goaltener Cole Holowenko backed up Braden Gamble in the Chilliwack Bruins 4-0 WHL shutout of the Vancouver Giants. Holowenko was called up by the Bruins after Saturday's Cents game in Quesnel. With Bruins number-one goaltender & former Vernon Viper Lucas Gore out with a shoulder injury, it remains to be seen if Holowenko will stay in Chilliwack or if he'll be on his way back to Merritt. The Cents added Lucas Blinkhorn (89) & defenceman Caleb Roy (89) both affiliate players from the KIJHL's Revelstoke Grizzlies for this past weekends games up North. Blinkhorn is the Grizzlies Captain. No word if Blinkhorn will play tonight in Vernon. Blinkhorn is fourth in KIJHL scoring with 16 goals and 24 assists in 27 games for Revelstoke. He spent some time with the Vernon Vipers last season as an AP, but didn't get into any games with the Vipers. Roy, who leads all Grizzlies defenceman in scoring with 31 points in 27 games, was an affiliate with the Vernon Vipers in 2005-06. He is second in scoring among blueliners in the KIJHL. For more info, stats and great game coverage check out Brian Wiebe’s Merritt Centennials Blog, http://merrittcentennials.blogspot.com/
Keys To Tonights Game:
After dropping the first three games of this road trip up North, how will the Cents do against a Vipers team that has owned them over the last few seasons. Merritt needs to try and slow down a speedy Vipers team that is loaded with depth.
The Cents need to play physical against a smaller Vernon team, try and wear them down and do all the little things to pull out the teams first road win of the year.
The Cents will have to get solid goaltending in order to try and stop the Vipers.
Merritt needs to get lots of traffic and pucks towards either Graeme Gordon or Blake Voth, two of the leagues top goaltenders.
The Cents are 7-32-0-2 in the last six seasons against Vernon
The Centennials are on a 17 game winless skid (0-16-0-1) against the Vipers.
The last time Merritt defeated Vernon was on January 14, 2007 by a final score of 3-2Wade MacLeod scored the winner while Casey Fratkin and Tyler Halliday also scored for the Centennials. Nick Stermer, Mike Naito, Nick Kang, Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Jason Wright and Cody Butcher each had an assist in the win. Brad McInnis made 45 saves in goal for the Cents.
Players To Watch:
Dustin Johnson (19-11-30)
Jordan Soquila (12-17-29)
Colton Sobchak (10-19-29)
Derek Hills (11-17-28)
Andrew Pickering (6-20-26)
Jeff Jones (13-12-25)
Alex Valenti (9-8-17)
Steve Tresierra (1-15-16)
David Sabey (7-7-14)
Heres a look at the season series between these two teams:
Wednesday, October 21st @ Vernon: Vernon wins 7-2
Merritt held a 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd period but couldn’t hold on for the win, as Vernon exploded for six goals in the final 30 minutes. Connor Jones (2), Kellen Jones, Jonathan Milhouse, Rob Short, Steven Weinstein, & Bryce Kakoske scored for the Vipers. Derek Hills & Dustin Johnson scored for the Centennials. Graeme Gordon made 14 saves for the win. Cole Holowencko made 40 saves in the loss. Vernon outshot Merritt 47-16.
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712631&link=bchl
Friday, October 30th @ Merritt: Vernon wins 10-4
Dylan Walchuk & Cole Ikkala with two goals each put Vernon up 4-0 after the 1st period. Cory kane & Dustin Johnson scored in the 2nd as the Vipers were up 5-1 after 40 minutes of play. Vernon would score five goals in the 3rd (Mike Collins with two, Rob Short, Darrin Robak & Nick Amies) to blow the game wide open. Rob Short, Jonathan Milhouse, Cole Ikkala, Cory Kane & Dylan Walchuk all had three point nights. Mike Collins lead the way with four points. Vernon outshot Merritt 39-31 Blake Voth made 27 saves getting the win, while Cameron Dagg made 29 saves taking the loss.
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712655&link=bchl
Tuesday, November 10th @ Merritt: Vernon wins 6-1
Silvan Harper put the Centennials on the scoreboard at 16:48 of the 1st period. This was all the scoring the Cents would get as Vernon would score six straight goals going on to the 6-1 victory. Dan Nycholat, Patrick McGillis with two, Cory Kane, Adam Thompson, & Rob Short scored for the Vipers. Cole Holowenko made 37 saves in the loss, while Graeme Gordon made 28 saves picking up the win. Vernon outshot Merritt 43-29.
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=712694
Here's a look at both team's rosters:
Vernon:
Nils-Erik Soderlund
Mike Collins
Braden Pimm
Cory Kane
Dylan Walchuk
Jonathan Milhouse
Cole Ikkala
Kevin Kraus
Connor Jones
Dan Nycholat
Adam Thompson
Sawyer Mick
Steven Weinstein
Kellen Jones
Rob Short
Curtis Gedig
Bryce Kakoske
Garrett Noonan
Patrick McGillis
Darrin Robak
Blake Voth
Graeme Gordon
Merritt:
Dustin Johnson
Jordan Soquila
Colton Sobchak
Derek Hills
Andrew Pickering
Jeff Jones
Alex Valenti
Steve Tresierra
David Sabey
Mitch Jones
Jeff Zmurchyk
Ryne Bodger
Matt Mazzarolo
Silvan Harper
Stephen Wall
Alexander MacMillan
Daniel Chang
Kameran Crawford
Austin Baecker
Cole Holowenko
Keith Hamilton
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