Wednesday, October 21, 2009

(Game Preview) Merritt @ Vernon:




Merritt (4-8-0-1) @ Vernon (13-1-0-0)


Last Game Played:

Sunday October 18th Vernon defeated Prince George 5-1
Saturday October 17th Merritt defeated Westside 3-1

Tonight is the first meeting of the season between the Merritt Cetennials and the defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Vernon Vipers. The Vipers are arriving home riding a seven game winning streak, after sweeping their three game Northern road trip over the weekend with wins over Quesnel, Williams Lake, & Prince George. The Centennials come into Vernon after splitting a home and home series with the Westside Warriors over the weekend.

Let’s take a look at the Vernon Vipers:

The Vipers are currently the top team in the BCHL with a record of 14-1-0-0 three points up on the Surrey Eagles. Vernon is also ranked as the third best team in Canada. Vernon comes into tonights contest as the leagues highest scoring team with 77 goals, and has the leagues best defence-goals against giving up just 21 goals. The Vipers are 7-1 on home ice losing its only game to the Penticton Vees. Vernon has three players in the leagues top 20 in scoring, leading the way is Mike Collins, (10-15-25), Braden Pimm (7-14-21) & Connor Jones (9-11-20) Blake Voth (3-0 record, 1 shutout and a GAA of 1.00) & Graeme Gordon (11-1 record, 1 shutout and a GAA of 1.41) lead the league as the leagues top two goaltenders. The Vipers come into tonights game riding a season high seven game winning streak, and are 9-1 in their last 10 games. Vernon cant take Merritt lightly with the Centennials getting two of the teams four wins over Penticton and Westside. The Vipers have been scoring goals and lots of them as of late, over the Vipers seven game winning streak the hockey club has scored 47 goals giving up just six goals. Graeme Gordon has a chance at facing off against his former team. Gordon (11-1 record, 1 shutout and a GAA of 1.41) who played just four games for Merritt last year was traded to the Vipers in October for future considerations and the rights to Matt Cumming. Gordon played in 18 games with the Cents back in the 2007-08 season after being traded to Merritt that season at the BCHL trade deadline from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Vipers will wear a new jersey design tonight to raise funds for cancer research. It’s a black jersey, with the standard Viper logo, along with pink trim on the sides and sleeves reminiscent of a pink cancer ribbon. (see above picture in top right hand corner)Fans will be allowed to make bids on the jerseys in a silent auction ending at 9 p.m.Kiss FM has pledged $100 per Viper goal, while the Vipers players and staff will shell out $2 a goal, for a total of $60 a goal. Vernon and the Westside Warriors are the only BCHL teams doing the pink jersey cancer fundraisers.

Players To Watch:

Mike Collins (10-15-25)
Braden Pimm (7-14-21)
Connor Jones (9-11-20)
Jonathan Milhouse (6-13-19)
Dylan Walchuk (6-13-19)
Kellen Jones (3-15-18)
Cory Kane (8-7-15)
Rob Short (4-7-11)
Cole Ikkala (4-6-10)
Dan Nycholat (1-9-10)
Kevin Kraus (2-6-8)
Adam Thompson (1-5-6)
Graeme Gordon (11-1 Record-1 Shutout-1.41 GAA)

Let’s take a look at the Merritt Centennials:

The Centennials currently sit in 7th place in the Interior Division with a record of 4-8-0-1 two points back of the 6th place Prince George Spruce Kings. Merritt has had its problems scoring goals this season with just 39 and have had big troubles keeping the puck out of the net, giving up 78 goals. The Cents come into Vernon winless on the road with a record of 0-4-0-1 and are 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games. Merritt has just two players with double digits, Jordan Soquila (4-6-10) & Colton Sobchak (2-8-10) The Cents have four former Vernon Vipers making their return to Vernon. Jeff Jones, David Sabey, Steve Tresierra & assistant coach, Luke Pierce will all face their former team tonight. Jones (4-4-8) & Sabey (6-3-9) were cut from the Vipers during the pre season schedule this season. Tresierra (0-5-5) played a year and a half for the Vipers before being traded days before the BCHL trade deadline last year. Pierce who played with the Cents from 2001-03 was traded from Merritt to Vernon prior to the 2003-04 season. Pierce wrapped up his playing career last season after five years at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. He graduated with a Master of Business Administration. This is Lukes first season with the Cents as an assistant coach. Merritt will have their hands full with the Vipers tonight, but if any of the weaker teams in the Interior Division have a chance at knocking off the Vernon Vipers, its Merritt who has pulled off two upsets this year with wins over Westside & Penticton. The Centennials are going to have to try and slow down the speedy Vipers, and shut down the leagues highest scoring team. (77 goals) The Cents are going to have get lots of pucks and traffic towards Graeme Gordon who is the leagues 2nd best goaltender behind Vernon backup Blake Voth. Merritt will have to get solid goaltending from either Cole Holowenko or Keith Hamilton, either one of the two will have to try and steal a win from Vernon in order for the Cents to win. The Centennials who are winless on the road have had troubles in Vernon over the last few seasons. The Cents are 7-29-0-2 in the last six seasons against Vernon, with a 4-14-0-1 record at home and a 3-15-0-1 record on the road during that span. The last time Merritt defeated Vernon was on January 14, 2007 by a final score of 3-2. Wade 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. For stats, info and more news and notes on the Merritt Centennials, visit Brian Wiebe’s Merritt Centennials Blog, http://merrittcentennials.blogspot.com/

Players To Watch:

Jordan Soquila (4-6-10)
Colton Sobchak (2-8-10)
David Sabey (6-3-9)
Alex Valenti (5-4-9)
Jeff Jones (4-4-8)
Andrew Pickering (3-5-8)
Dustin Johnson (4-3-7)
Ryne Bodger (3-4-7)
Cole Holowenko (2-4 record with a GAA of 5.43)

Key Returnees: F Dustin Johnson (23-12-35), F Alex Valenti (22-15-37), F Colton Sobchak (11-18-29), D Steve Tresierra (5-19-24)

Strengths: The Forsythe brothers – head coach Dylan and general manager Tyler – bring a new look and feel to the Centennials after an eight-year Al Glendinning era. On paper, the Cents should be a lot stingier on defence with seven blueliners with BCHL experience. Offseason acquisitions include F Thomas Hardy (Burnaby Express), D Derek Hills and Ryne Bodger (Powell River Kings), D Jeff Zmurchyk (Trail Smoke Eaters).

Coach’s Quote: Tyler Forsythe: “Our aim is to compete each and every night, to be disciplined, to play responsibly and with controlled aggression, and to make the playoffs.”

Lets take a look at the trades Merritt has made since the start of the season:

22-Sep-09 The Merritt Centennial Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Matt Cummings to the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL in exchange for the playing rights of Cole Penner.

01-Oct-09 The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Jake Baker (D)(91) to the Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Mitch Jones (91)(D).

03 Oct-09 The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Tyler Miller (D)(91) to the Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club in exchange for future considerations.

04-Oct-09 The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Brad Bourke (D)(89) to the Prince George Spruce Kings Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Andrew Pickering (F)(89).

Heres a look at last year's season series between these two teams:

October 11th @ Vernon: Vernon wins 3-1

Braden Pimm, Rob Short & Bryce Kakoske score for Vernon as Andrew Hammond makes 21 saves in the Vipers 3-1 win. 1st star Harrison May makes 33 saves in a losing cause for the Cents.

http://bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573455&link=bchl

October 17th @ Merritt: Vernon wins 3-1

Cory Kane, Braden Pimm & Captain Chris Crowell score as Andrew Hammond makes 25 saves in the Vipers 3-1 victory. Once again 1st star Harrison May turns away 43 Vernon shots in a losing cause. May stands on his head but it isn’t enough as the Centennials lose to the Vipers 3-1.

http://bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573467&link=bchl

November 8th @ Merritt: Vernon wins 6-3

Bryce Kakoske records 3 pts, and Connor Jones picks up 2 pts in Vernons 6-3 victory. Andrew Hammond makes 30 saves in the Vipers net getting the win. Alex Goodship records 2 pts for Merritt in a losing cause. Both Harrison May & Kyle Nielsen took places in goal for the Centennials.

http://bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573535&link=bchl

November 21st @ Vernon: Vernon wins 4-1

Kyle Bigos, Mike Collins, & Bryce Kakoske all record 2 pts each in Vernons 4-1 victory. Andrew Hammond makes just 20 saves getting the win. Paul Forster scores Merritts lone goal.

January 9th @ Vernon: Vernon wins 4-2

Vernon was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes of play, coming close to losing to the last place Centennials, but got two 3rd period goals from, Braden Pimm & Connor Jones to defeat the Cents 4-2. Vernon’s other two goals from, Kellen & Connor Jones lead the Vipers scoring attack. Graeme Gordon made 22 saves over his former team. Jordan Grant & Dustin Johnson lead the scoring for Merritt. Kyle Nielsen made 32 saves in the loss.

http://bchl.bc.ca/leagues/hockey_boxScores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=573700&link=bchl

February 10th @ Merritt: Vernon wins 6-0

Ryan Santana with two goals, Braden Pimm, Kellen Jones, Sahir Gill & Rob Short scored for the Vipers while Andrew Hammond picks up the shutout. Kyle Nielsen made 32 saves taking the loss for the Cents. Vernon outshot Merritt 38-28.

Here's a look at both team's rosters:

Vernon:


Merritt:




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