Merritt, B.C. – The Merritt Centennials have taken the opening game of their best-of-seven BC Hockey League Interior Conference semi-final series against the Prince George Spruce Kings.

The home town Cents, who finished second in the conference in the regular season, took the third place Spruce Kings in game one by a score of 4-1.   The teams felt each other out in the first period with neither side giving up a goal.   The visitors from Prince George opened the scoring at 8:18 of the second when Michael Betz found the back of the Centennials’ net, assisted by Jujhar Khaira and Skylar Pacheco. But Merritt popped in three straight, including a pair by Brandon Pfeil, to take a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes. Pfeil’s second goal at 17:40 came with Michael Colantone in the box for interference.

The Centennials upped the lead to 4-1 when Billy Marshall scored at the 5:42 mark of the third and then stymied the Spruce Kings the rest of the way to post the opening game win.

Merritt outshot Prince George 36-33. Lots of penalties in the opener. The Spruce Kings took 8 minors and two fighting majors. Merritt was assessed 8 minors, a 4-minute spearing penalty, two fighting majors and a misconduct. The Spruce Kings went 0 for 5 with the man advantage while the Centennials had the one power play goal.

So Kings coach Dave Dupas goes to work to get his club turned around for game two of the series Saturday night in Merritt.

The three other series also opened Friday. The Penticton Vees beat Chilliwack 6-1, while at the coast Surrey edged Cowichan Valley 4-3 and Powell River doubled Coquitlam 4-2.