BLAZERS END TRIP WITH LOSS IN SWIFT CURRENT
The Kamloops Blazers (9-23-2-2) finished the six-game East Division road trip with a 6-3 loss to the Swift Current Broncos (20-14-1-4) Tuesday night.
The Blazers got off to a good start in this one taking advantage of a five-on-three power play midway through the first period. The Blazers scored twice on the power play as Cole Ully buried his own rebound for his 15th goal of the season and Aspen Sterzer scored 41 seconds later with his 14th goal for a 2-0 Blazers lead. The Blazers looked good the rest of the period despite losing their captain, Matt Needham at the end of the period after blocking a shot.
The Broncos pushed hard in the second period, and the Blazers could not muster much of a push back after a long and gruelling road trip. Colby Cave got the Broncos rolling with a quick shot that beat goaltender Taran Kozun 3:35 into the second to cut the lead to 2-1. Cave tied it up on the power play midway through the period on a similar play finding a puck and getting a quick shot away to make it 2-2. Glenn Gawdin gave the Broncos the lead towards the end of the period as the Broncos outshot the Blazers 22-6 in the period and took a 3-2 lead headed into the third period.
The Blazers had a push back in the third period with forward Mitch Lipon having the best chance to tie things up. He grabbed a turnover in the offensive zone and sniped a shot that goaltender Eetu Laurikainen got a piece of to keep it a 3-2 game. The Broncos took a 4-2 lead midway through the period off a faceoff. Gawdin fed Tanner LeSann for his sixth goal of the season. Jay Merkley added another goal shortly after to make it 5-2 for the Broncos. The Blazers replied on the power play with defenseman Josh Connolly scoring his seventh goal to make it 5-3, but Dillon Heatherington finished the scoring with a late goal for a 6-3 final.
There were plenty of fights in this one as Ryan Rehill was in two fights, Sam Grist and Eric Krienke also got in to tilts for the Blazers.
The Blazers finished their road trip with a 3-3-0-0 record.
The Blazers power play got going in this one finishing 3-for-4, while the Broncos finished 2-for-5.
The Blazers now are off until December 27 when they play their seventh straight game on the road in Kelowna. The hockey club returns home for a game on December 29 when they host the Vancouver Giants.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
