The Centennials got a fantastic chance in the first half minute of the game, on a blown faceoff assignment that resulted in Nick Granowicz walking alone to the hashmarks where John Hawthorne came up with a big blocker save. The Bulldogs pushed back with a couple good shifts in Merritt zone over the following minutes. The hockey was fantastic to watch through the first period, with the Centennials having a couple good chances around the net, followed by the Bulldogs pushing the pace and earning several great chances as a result, with Vincent Duplessis making a great first save on an Austin Spiradakis shot, and a highlight reel right pad save on the rebound on Nicholas Seitz. The Bulldogs would open the scoring just over twelve minutes in, as Spencer Hora gloved down a flip into the zone and slid it into the left circle for Nicholas Seitz. He would go end-to-end through centre and over the Merritt line with speed up the left side where he beat Duplessis with a quick release, high far-side over his glove to make it 1-0 at 12:20 of the first. There would be no scoring for the remainder of the period, with John Hawthorne again tested several times in tight and coming up big to protect the lead into the intermission. Shots in the first were 13-8 Centennials.
The Bulldogs began the second with over a minute on the power play, but couldn't cash in on it. Just a minute later, it was a 1-1 game as Joey Berkopec put a low shot on net that appeared to be deflected off the post and in past the glove of Hawthorne, with Jackson Munro drawing the only assist at 2:13 of the second. The pace remained high through the middle of the period, with neither team able to take the lead. The Centennials would capitalize on a power play chance just a minute later, with Nicholas Wicks accepting a pass up the right side over the Bulldog line and walking it behind the net before centering onto the tape of Rylan Van Unen in tight who one-timed a perfectly placed shot high over Hawthorne from the doorstep. Nick Granowicz also drew an assist on the play at 11:44 of the second. The Bulldogs pushed back and tied it up on a power play of their own, on another end-to-end rush as Darren Rizzolo played the puck back into the Bulldogs zone for Aaron Bohlinger, who dropped it for Mitchel Deelstra. He would go end-to-end much like Nicholas Seitz, as the Centennials gave him the middle of the ice and he took it, driving through two defenders to skate in alone where he picked the top corner over the glove of Duplessis to make it 2-2 at 16:42 of the second. The Bulldogs earned another power play immediately afterwards, and while they threatened they couldn't find the net to take the lead as it stayed 2-2 into the third. Shots in the period were 11-8 Bulldogs in the period, for a 21-19 Centennials lead.
The third period began with the Centennials having an early edge in the play. It would lead to the go-ahead goal, as after a couple good saves by Hawthorne in tight a low shot by Nick Granowicz from the deep slot that just managed to slide over the goal line while the whistle sounded to make it 3-2 Cents, with Nicholas Wicks drawing the lone assist at 3:09 of the third. The Bulldogs still were a step behind over the next couple of minutes, but John Hawthorne came up two or three good saves to keep them in it. They would respond to tie the game with eight minutes to play when Darren Rizzolo broke a play up in the Dogs zone before head-manning it up the right side for Aaron Bohlinger at centre ice. He quickly found Ryan Miotto at the Merritt line, who walked into the right circle where he put a perfectly played shot top corner, short-side over the glove of Duplessis to make it 3-3 at 12:02 of the third. The Bulldogs would be penalized on the goal, but came up with a solid kill to keep it tied. The score remained tied into the late stages of the third, with John Hawthorne coming up with a huge save on an in-alone chance by Rylan Van Unen with just over two minutes to play to keep it tied. It wouldn't matter unfortunately, as just a minute later the Centennials took the lead for good as Bradley Cocca accepted a pass at centre and walked over the Bulldog line up the left side where he cut to the middle and pulled the puck back before putting a perfectly placed short short-side off the post and in past the blocker of Hawthorne to make it 4-3 at 18:34 of the third, with Christian Sabin drawing the only assist. The Bulldogs got their goalie out for the extra attacker and had a couple dangerous looking scrambles but they couldn't get a bounce to tie the game as time expired.
Third period shots were 12-8 Centennials, for a game total of 33-27 Merritt, with Vincent Duplessis and John Hawthorne being the goalies of record. Both teams went 1 for 4 on the power play.
The Bulldogs are next in action tomorrow when they host the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Hammer
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