Blazers at Rockets 03/14 | WHL Highlights 2024-25
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers hit the road and headed to Kelowna to face off against the Rockets in a Friday night rivalry matchup.
Head-to-head this season, the Blazers hold a 4-1-0-0 record against the Rockets.
Kamloops went with veteran netminder Dylan Ernst between the pipes, while the Rockets looked to their usual starter, Rhett Stoesser, to man the crease.
The first period opened with a slow pace of action from both teams. Kamloops found a few chances, one specifically coming from Vit Zahejsky, who had the opportunity to open the scoring but shot the puck wide. The Blazers garnered a power play just over 12 minutes into the opening frame when Matteo Koci launched a shot from the blue line, leading to a scramble in front of Stoesser, but Rhett Ravndhal was unable to get a grip on it. Kelowna responded late in the frame as Will Sharpe blasted a shot past Ernst to make it 1-0 with 54 seconds left in the period.
Kamloops came out for the second with extra energy and commanded possession for the opening minutes. Blazers’ assistant captain Harrison Brunicke fired home a goal to tie the game at 1-1. Later, Beau Courtney fed Oren Shtrom a pass, and Shtrom ripped a wrist shot, but Stoesser made a huge glove save, robbing the Blazers of a chance. The Blazers then had their second power play, and Jordan Keller looked to cash in but rang the puck off the crossbar. Kamloops generated two more high-danger chances on that power play, with plays from Nathan Behm and Zahejsky. While the Blazers were shorthanded, Emmitt Finnie led a charge down the right side of the ice, bringing control into the Rockets’ zone. Stripping the puck away from a Rockets defender, Finnie tossed a backhand pass to Ravndahl, who fired a slapshot past Stoesser to make it 2-1.
The third period opened with the Blazers carrying all the momentum. Tommy Lafrenière absorbed a series of cross-checks from Rockets defender Cody Corbet, allowing Finnie and Behm to continue cycling the puck in the offensive zone and creating multiple chances. Behm then made a quick toe drag, walked it behind the net, and nearly pulled off a “Michigan” goal in style—what would have easily been the goal of the season.
Kelowna then gained control as Jakub Stancl fed Hayden Paupenakis, who fired a shot at an open net but was denied by a diving Dylan Ernst. A couple of minutes later, Blazers defenseman Sam Borschowa flew down the ice alone and shot the puck wide, but Finnie was right there to scoop it up and fire it home, making it 3-1 Kamloops. As the game hit the midway point, the Rockets found the scoresheet again, and Hiroki Gojsic fired home a one-timer to cut the lead to one. The Blazers continued to apply pressure, and with 1:30 left in the frame, the Rockets pulled their goaltender and it was Jordan Keller and Behm sealing the game for Kamloops, each scoring an empty-net goal to make it 5-2 and keeping the Blazers’ playoff hopes alive.
