BLAZERS WIN 7-2 OVER GIANTS
The Kamloops Blazers (8-5-1-0) got goals from seven different players in a 7-2 win over the Vancouver Giants (6-5-0-0) at home on Wednesday night.
It was an entertaining first period with the Blazers outshooting the Giants 14-7 in the frame.
The Blazers opened the scoring on a rush. Goaltender Payton Lee made a save for the Giants, but Cole Ully stuck with it and popped it over his pad from behind the net and in for a 1-0 Blazers lead.
Ully’s goal was the only one of the period as the Blazers took a 1-0 lead into the second period.
The Blazers got on the Giants right away and scored two quick goals to open the game up and make it 3-0 Blazers.
Jake Kryski scored his fifth goal of the season 3:09 into the second period. He pounced on a blocked shot and put the rebound in.
Matt Needham made it 3-0 only 12 seconds later as Cole Ully turned the puck over and fed him for a one-timer that chased goaltender Payton Lee from the net. Lee stopped 15 of 18 shots he faced.
The goaltender change gave the Giants some momentum as the Blazers took four consecutive penalties in the second period.
Goaltender Cole Kehler stood tall in goal for the Blazers as he was integral in killing off a 5-on-3 situation. At the end of the penalty kill, the Giants got on the scoreboard with Thomas Foster getting his sixth goal of the season.
Dalton Sward cut the Blazers lead to 3-2 as he deflected a shot that was going wide past Kehler with 1:36 to go in the second period. The Blazers continued to lead 3-2 heading into the third period.
Collin Shirley was integral in giving the Blazers some insurance. He chipped a puck past a Giants defender and created an odd man rush. He fed Luke Harrison who roofed it for his first goal of the season and a 4-2 Blazers lead.
The flood gates opened from there, as the Blazers got goals from Mike Winther, Nick Chyzowski and Jesse Zaharichuk for a 7-2 win. For Zaharichuk, it was his first career WHL goal.
Goaltender Cole Kehler, who will turn 17 on December 17, was outstanding making 28 saves in goal and earning the game’s second star.
16 of the Blazers 18 skaters had points on the night. Cole Ully, Logan McVeigh and Deven Sideroff each had multi-point nights with two points apiece.
Cody Porter played well in relief of Lee stopping 20 of 24 shots he faced.
The Blazers were solid on the penalty kill going 7-for-7 and went 1-for-5 on the power play.
The Blazers are back at home this Friday, October 24th when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings.
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