(Image Credit: KIJHL/File)

By Victor Kaisar

Centennials 12 Chiefs 6

Merritt Centennials net dozen goals in blowout win over Kelowna Chiefs

Dec 21, 2025 | 9:51 AM

MERRITT — The Merritt Centennials scored six third period goals en route to a 12-6 blowout win over the Kelowna Chiefs at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena on Saturday (Dec. 20) night.

The dozen goals tied the most scored by a team in a KIJHL game this season (Quesnel 12-2 Golden on Oct. 3). It’s also the most goals scored in a single game this season, surpassing the 17-goal overtime thriller between Chase and Golden on Dec. 13.

According to the Centennials, it was also the first time in nearly 50 years that the team scored at least 12 goals in a regular season game. They last did so in a 20-3 win over Revelstoke on Oct. 29, 1977 in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL).

Eleven of the 18 goals in Saturday’s penalty-filled game were scored on the special teams as Merritt went five for six on the power play while Kelowna was four for eight. Both teams also scored a short handed goal.

Saturday night, Zach King and Noah Lawless had the Cents up 2-0 in the first period before Christian Stephanson got the Chiefs on the board in the final minute.

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Kelowna rattled off two more goals – through Owen Miller and Nash Walters – to lead 3-2 less than five minutes into the second period, before Merritt bounced back with three goals of its own. Goals from Callum MacLean, Brayden Thurlow, and Travis Langlois had Merritt up 5-3 at 12:42 of the second.

The Chiefs were back on top again as Evan Murray, Jake Kessler, and Brenden Stirbu all scored in a span of 92 seconds to give the visitors the 6-5 lead.

Tyler Smith restored parity with the ninth goals of the second period to make it a 6-6 game.

The third period was all Merritt as they fired six goals past Kelowna netminder Andrik Lygas, who stopped 35 of 47 shots on the night. Kaden Wilkins and Noah Lawless had a pair each while Travis Langlois and Troy Horn also added their names to the scoresheet.

Wilkins’ short handed marker scored at 1:36 of the final period stood as the game winner.

Lawless had an assist to go with his hat trick, while Wilkins added three assists to finish with a five point night. Thurlow also chipped in with a pair of assists while Horn added three assists for a four point night of his own.

Cents netminder Tyler Picha turned aside 32 of 38 shots to pick up the win as Merritt improved to 13-11-2-1, good for 29 points from 27 games. The Chiefs dropped to 19-6-1-1 and have 40 points from 27 games.

Elsewhere in the KIJHL, the Chase Heat beat 100 Mile House 5-4 in overtime for their third win in four games, while Williams Lake beat Quesnel 3-2 in overtime as well.

The KIJHL is currently on its holiday break, and Merritt, Chase, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel are all off until new year.

The league-leading Kamloops Storm are in action in Revelstoke against the Grizzlies on New Years Eve.