Carson Hebert scored the shootout winner as the visiting Princeton Posse edged the Merritt Centennials 2-1 to wrap up their 2024-2025 regular season and clinch first place in the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference on Feb. 21.
Goaltender Blake Sittler made 24 saves for the Posse (33-7-3-1), who will battle the Sicamous Eagles in the first round of the KIJHL playoffs starting Friday, Feb. 28.
Ben Dods scored Princeton's lone goal in regulation before a six-round shootout settled the team's regular-season finale at Nicola Valley Arena.
Grady Sluggett scored for Merrit, a late first-period marker to tie the game at 1-1. Andrew Krakora made 38 saves for the Centennials.
The Posse clinched top spot in the conference — and Bill Ohlhausen Division — with its win and the Revelstoke Grizzlies's overtime loss to the Kelowna Chiefs on Friday night.
This will mark the third consecutive season Princeton has entered the playoffs as its division's top team.
Matthew Langdon, 21, finished the regular season as the Posse's top scorer with 60 points in 41 games. His 35 goals led the KIJHL.
The other three Princeton skaters to average more than a point per game in 2024-2025 include Tyson Horiachka, Bryton Morrow, and Justice Loewen.
Games No. 1 and 2 of the Posse's first-round playoff series with Sicamous will commence at Princeton & District Arena.
The Similkameen-based club posted a 3-1 record against the Eagles in regular-season play.
