BLAZERS WIN 4-3 OVER THUNDERBIRDS
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers welcomed in the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday night at the Sandman Centre for the first set of a back- to-back series.
Seattle got the start quickly into the opening frame as Brock England found himself alone and was able to beat Ivans Kufterins to make it 1-0 Thunderbirds. Just two minutes later, Coster Dunn extended the lead, giving the Thunderbirds a quick 2-0 advantage.
The Blazers would answer back, as JP Hurlbert fired home his fourth goal of the season to cut the deficit in half, beating Grayson Malinoski. The action was on both sides of the ice for the better half of 10 minute before Blazers’ Vit Zahejsky dangled a Thunderbirds defender and set up Nathan Behm who buried it to tie the game at 2-2.
The second period opened with a Blazers powerplay that trailed over from the first, while Hurlbert had looks, they were unable to connect. Four minutes in, Seattle’s Hyde Davidson snapped a shot past Kufterins to restore the Thunderbirds’ lead at 3-2.The play went back and forth with chances on both ends until Hurlbert drew a penalty with 6:00 left and Ty Bonkowski capitalized on the ensuing powerplay to tie the game up at 3-2.
Moments later the arena was silenced when Zahejsky was slew footed into the boards by Thunderbirds defender Kaleb Hartmann, that drew a crowd and hometown boy Justin Keller dropped the gloves. Zahejsky was taken off the ice on a stretcher, and an update on his status will be provided as soon as available. Hartmann was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play.
The third period saw action on both ends through the opening 10 minutes with Josh Evaschesen having the best chance at a goal but was denied by a sprawling Malinoski. Blazers’ Tommy Lafreniere and Owen Cooper found themselves on a 2-on-1 but Cooper’s shot was denied.
After relentless work by Evaschesen to keep the puck in the offensive zone, the Blazers were rewarded as Behm rifled home his second of the night on an awkward angle to give give Kamloops the lead 4-3 with three minutes left. The Blazers would hold onto the lead and secure the win to go 2-0-0-0 to start the season. They will face Seattle in the second of back-to-back’s tomorrow night.
