(Game Preview) Vernon @ Merritt:

Vernon (11-5-1-3) @ Merritt (4-11-0-5)

Tonight is the third meeting of the season series between the defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Vernon Vipers & the Merritt Centennials. Tonight is the first of three straight at home for Merritt, and the first of back to back games for Vernon (one at home, one on the road) You can listen to tonights game live with Todd Miller & Don Klepp, starting at 7:15pm on 107.5 Kiss FM.

Last Game Played:

Saturday, October 30th Victoria defeated Vernon 3-2 in overtime
Sunday, October 31st Prince George defeated Merritt 3-1

Next Game:

Saturday, November 6th Prince George @ Vernon
Saturday, November 6th Westside @ Merritt

Let's take a look at the Vernon Vipers:

Games Played: 21
Wins: 11
Losses: 5
Ties: 1
Overtime Losses: 4
Home Record: 4-2-1-3
Road Record: 7-3-0-1
Last Ten Games: 6-1-1-2
Streak: One game losing streak
Goals For: 70
Goals Against: 51
Standings: Tied for 2nd place with Trail

Since the 2002-03 season Vernon is 44-6-0-4 vs. Merritt

Since the 2002-03 season Vernon has outscored Merritt 247-124

Merritts last win at home vs Vernon was back on Saturday, November 4th 2006 in a 4-3 overtime win

For more stats & former Vernon Junior Hockey Team rosters & lineups please visit Paul’s Vernon Junior Hockey History website,

http://members.shaw.ca/vernonfranchise/index.html

Returning Players:

Bryce Kakoske (90)
David Robinson (90)
Blake Voth (91)
Steve Weinstein (90)
Adam Thompson (90)
Dylan Walchuk (92)
Patrick McGillis (91)

Departing & traded players from last years team:

Connor Jones (90)
Mike Collins (90)
Braden Pimm (89)
Cory Kane (90)
Jonathan Milhouse (89)
Kellen Jones (90)
Rob Short (89)
Cole Ikkala (90)
Dan Nycholat (89)
Kevin Kraus (89)
Curtis Gedig (91)
Garrett Noonan (91)
Sahir Gill (92)
Darrin Robak (91)
Graeme Gordon (89)

Vernons Powerplay vs. Merritt this season:

1-6

At Home vs. Merritt:

0-0-0-1

On The Road vs. Merritt:

1-0

Vernons scoring leaders vs. Merritt this season:

Dylan Walchuk (2-2-4)
David Robinson (2-2-4)
Marcus Basara (2-1-3)
Steven Weinstein (1-1-2)
Bryce Kakoske (1-1-2)
Max Mowat (0-2-2)
John Knisley (0-2-2)
Kyle Murphy (0-1-1)
Philip Patenaude (0-1-1)
Malcolm Lyles (0-1-1)
Aaron Hadley (0-1-1)
Michael Zalewski (0-1-1)

Bryton Udy (0-1 Record)
Blake Voth (1-0 Record)

Key’s and Notes to tonight’s game:

-The Vipers will be without forward and second year player Dylan Walchuk. Walchuk will be playing at home for Team Canada in the World Junior A Challenge Exibition game that is being playing tonight at the Wesbild Centre.

-The Vipers who have had troubles putting pucks in the net, need to find ways offensively to start scoring some goals.

-Vernon plays eight of its next ten games on the road

-The Vipers have two losses in the their last three games

-Vernon has atleast a point in their last eleven games

-Forward Dylan Walchuk (11-13-24) is 19th in league scoring

-Goaltender Blake Voth is 2nd in league goaltenders with a 2.11 GAA

-Getting off to a good start will be key

-The Vipers have to stay out of the penalty box as Merritt has gone 3-4 against the Vipers on the powerplay this year

-The Vipers are just a point up on 3rd place Salmon Arm and two points back of first place Penticton

-Vernon has had its troubles vs. some of the weaker teams in the league this season, tonight they need to play a full 60 minutes and forget about who they are playing

Let's take a look at the Merritt Centennials:

Games Played: 30
Wins: 4
Losses: 11
Ties: 0
Overtime Losses: 5
Home Record: 2-3-0-3
Road Record: 2-8-0-2
Streak: Three game losing streak
Goals For: 50
Goals Against: 84
Last ten games: 3-3-0-4
Standings: 5th Place

For more info, stats and great coverage on the Centennials, please visit Brian Wiebe’s Merritt Centennials blog, http://merrittcentennials.blogspot.com/

Since the Vipers defeated the Centennials 4-3 back on October, 3rd Merritt has made a few major changes to their lineup. Lets take a look at their moves.

13-Oct-10 The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of Dustin Johnson (90)(F) to the Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club in exchange for the playing rights of Brett Kollins (92)(D), Scott Milnthorp (92)(D) and future considerations.

14-Oct-10 The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club transfers the playing rights of recently acquired Scott Milnthorp (92)(D) and Austin Baecker (92)(D) to the Grande Prairie Storm Hockey Club of the AJHL in exchange for the playing rights of Lino Chimienti.

Word today was that Cents defenceman, Jeff Zmurchyk has left the team and gone home. For more on this move please visit Brian Wiebes Merritt Centennials Blog.

Returning Players:

Silvan Harper (92)
Jeff Jones (91)
David Sabey (91)
Steve Wall (91)
Steve Tresierra (90)
Jeff Zmurchyk (90)
Kameran Crawford (91)

Departing & traded players from last years team:

Dustin Johnson (90)
Colton Sobchak
Derek Hills
Alex Valenti
Mitch Jones
Matt Mazzarolo
Ryne Bodger
Daniel Chang
Lucas Daoust
Sam Gemmell
Austin Baecker
Keith Hamilton
Cole Holowenko
Jeff Zmurchyk

Merritts Powerplay vs. Vernon this season:

3-4

At Home vs. Vernon:

0-1

On The Road vs. Vernon:

1-0

Merritts scoring leaders vs. Vernon this season:

Max Vallis (2-1-3)
Jeff Jones (1-2-3)
Regan Soquila (2-0-2)
Stephen Wall (0-2-2)
Kameran Crawford (0-1-1)
Evan Stack (0-1-1)
Jakob Reichert (0-1-1)
Chad Brears (0-1-1)

Tyler Steel (1-0 Record)

Key’s and Notes to tonight’s game:

-Merritt has five former Vipers on their team. David Sabey, Jeff Jones and Tyler Steel who all were cut from the Vipers training camp. & Steve Tresierra & head coach-gm Luke Pierce who both played in Vernon.

-Will Tyler Steel face off against his former team again? Steel made 30 saves in Merritt’s only victory against Vernon this year

-The Cents picked up their first win of the season over Vernon this year and their first win over the Vipers since January 14, 2007.

-Tonight is the first of four straight home games for Merritt

-The Centennials are coming off a three game road trip, dropping all three games. Two of the three games were in overtime

-Defenceman Jeff Zmurchyks only goal of the season was an overtime winner against Vernon back in September

-The Cents need to use the smaller ice surface to their advantage

-Merritt needs to jump on the Vipers early and try and get off to a good start

-Merritt is just two points up on last place Quesnel and a single point up on Prince George

Here’s a look at the season series between these two teams:

Tuesday, September 21st @ Vernon: Merritt wins 5-4 (double overtime)

SCORING SUMMARY

PERIOD 1

Vernon Vipers at 3:34 - Dylan Walchuk from Marcus Basara and David Robinson
Merritt Centennials at 5:50 (PP) - Regan Soquila from Stephen Wall
Merritt Centennials at 19:43 (PP) - Dustin Johnson from Kameran Crawford and Jeff Jones

PERIOD 2

Vernon Vipers at 11:17 (PP) - Steven Weinstein from Bryce Kakoske and Kyle Murphy

PERIOD 3

Vernon Vipers at 3:53 - Marcus Basara from Dylan Walchuk and David Robinson
Merritt Centennials at 6:44 (PP) - Jeff Jones from Dustin Johnson and Max Vallis
Merritt Centennials at 16:52 (PS) - Dustin Johnson (unassisted)
Vernon Vipers at 19:28 - Dylan Walchuk from John Knisley and Philip Patenaude

OVERTIME PERIOD 2

Merritt Centennials at 2:20 - Jeff Zmurchyk from Stephen Wall

Vernon outshot Merritt 34-24. Tyler Steel made 30 saves picking up his first career BCHL win, while Bryton Udy took the loss in his BCHL debut.

http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=839996&link=bchl

Sunday, October 3rd @ Merritt: Vernon wins 4-3 (Overtime)

SCORING SUMMARY

PERIOD 1

Merritt Centennials at 2:34 - Regan Soquila (unassisted)

PERIOD 2

Merritt Centennials at 3:28 - Max Vallis from Jeff Jones and Jakob Reichert
Vernon Vipers at 4:28 - Bryce Kakoske from Michael Zalewski
Vernon Vipers at 10:02 - Michael Zalewski from Adam Thompson
Merritt Centennials at 12:48 - Max Vallis (unassisted)

PERIOD 3

Vernon Vipers at 1:53 - Marcus Basara from Max Mowat and John Knisley

OVERTIME PERIOD 1

Vernon Vipers at 4:36 - David Robinson from Dylan Walchuk and Adam Thompson

Vernon outshot Merritt 31-18. Blake Voth made 15 saves getting the win, while Jared Anderson made 27 saves taking the loss.

http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_boxscores.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&gameID=840247&link=bchl

Here's a look at both teams rosters:

Vernon:

Dylan Walchuk (11-13-24)
Bryce Kakoske (7-12-19)
David Robinson (9-8-17)
John Knisley (5-12-17)
Kyle Murphy (5-9-14)
Michael Zalewski (5-7-12)
Adam Thompson (3-8-11)
Malcolm Lyles (3-8-11)
Marcus Basara (5-5-10)
Aaron Hadley (3-7-10)
Steven Weinstein (2-7-9)
Patrick McGillis (4-4-8)
Trevor Fitzgerald (5-3-8)
Brett Corkey (0-7-7)
Max Mowat (1-6-7)
Darren Nowick (0-6-6)
Elliot Richardson (1-3-4)
Todd Skirving (1-3-4)
Colton Sparrow (0-2-2)
Philip Patenaude (0-1-1)

Bryton Udy (0-3 Record, 3.84 GAA)
Blake Voth (11-6-1 Record, 2 Shutouts, 2.11 GAA)

Merritt:

Jeff Jones (6-11-17)
Max Vallis (7-7-14)
Regan Soquila (8-4-12)
Steve Tresierra (2-8-10)
David Sabey (2-7-9)
Jakob Reichert (4-4-8)
Dustin Lebrun (4-1-5)
Brandon Pfeil (3-2-5)
Stephen Wall (2-3-5)
Chad Brears (1-4-5)
Kameran Crawford (1-3-4)
Silvan Harper (2-1-3)
Brent Fletcher (2-1-3)
Evan Stack (0-3-3)
Billy Marshall (0-2-2)
Richard Sabourin (0-2-2)
Sean Maktaak (0-2-2)
Reece Willcox (0-1-1)
Dylan Playfair (0-0-0)
Brett Kolins (0-0-0)

Lino Chimienti (2-4 Record, 3.17 GAA)
Tyler Steel (2-7 Record, 3.88 GAA)