Game day preview: Thunderbirds vs. Blazers — May 31
The two WHL representatives at the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia will meet tonight with a spot in Friday’s semi-final on the line.
The Kamloops Blazers and Seattle Thunderbirds, who have met nine times since March 7, will each hope to become the first club to advance to the semi-final. Quebec has already secured a spot in Sunday’s final.
“We’ve played these guys four times throughout the regular season and then through a playoff series so we know what we’re getting ourselves into tonight and we’re going to be prepared,” said Seattle’s Reid Schaefer (NSH).
With Quebec’s defeat to Peterborough Tuesday, it ensured the tiebreaker game would be played. It also now opens the possibility that a team will have to win four games in five days to lift the Memorial Cup.
“We’re not out of the tournament if we lose,” Kamloops’ Matthew Seminoff (NYI) said. “But there’s no room for error and [we have to] bring our best game tonight. It’s very important.”
The Thunderbirds went 3-0-1 against the Blazers during the regular season and then defeated them in six games in the WHL’s Western Conference Finals en route to their second WHL championship. Seattle also eliminated Kamloops at the same stage a year ago in Game 7.
🅿️🅿️ one-timer from Matthew Seminoff! #MemorialCup | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/lIDXTfrRzn
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 29, 2023
“We’ve seen them a lot now,” said Kamloops’ Ryan Hofer (MIN). “We know what they are about. The biggest thing is focusing on our game. We know they are fast and skilled and can put it in the net but we’ve got to play our best game.”
Kamloops opened the tournament with an 8-3 loss to Quebec on May 26 but rebounded to beat Peterborough 10-2 Sunday. Captain, and Kamloops native, Logan Stankoven leads the tournament in scoring with eight points (seven assists).
Seattle beat Peterborough 6-3 May 27 but were narrowly beaten 3-1 by Quebec Monday night in a game that saw the Remparts secure its berth in the final. Kyle Crnkovic’s three points leads the way for the T-Birds while five other skaters have registered multiple points.
No excuse needed to re-watch Kyle Crnkovic's #MemorialCup hat-trick 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/S2O9AzX0oS
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 28, 2023
Tonight’s loser will play Peterborough Thursday night in the tiebreaker game where the winner will then proceed to the semi-final.
“The game plan is to win tonight,” Schaefer said. “That’ll be very beneficial for us. If not, it’s a hard road to get to the final and we’d be willing to do that.
“We will do whatever it takes.”
Puck drop tonight is at 9pm ET / 6pm PT and can be seen live on TSN 1/4, RDS2 and NHL Network.
