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Connor Hopkins was on his game, but he could only do so much when faced with 46 shots.
The Merritt Centennials managed to get four goals past the West Kelowna Warrior goalie, leading them to a 4-1 win on Tuesday night.
It took just 43 seconds for the first one to find the back of the net, as Nick Granowicz buried his 32nd of the season early in the first.
Mathieu Gosselin would follow that up with the 2-0 goal for Merritt halfway through the opening frame.
The Warriors lone goal of the night came late in the first, when Mike Hardman took a sensational backhand pass from Lucas Cullen and scored a powerplay goal.
After both teams came up empty handed in the second, the Cents would extend their lead in the third courtesy of Bradley Cocca’s 22nd goal of the year.
Mathieu Gosselin’s second of the night, a powerplay marker, would put the game away with just over seven minutes to play.
More than five months after starting the season with a home and home against the Trail Smoke Eaters, that’s exactly how the Warriors will finish their regular season.
The Smokies come to town on Friday night and both teams will head into the Kootenays for the rematch on Saturday.
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