BLAZERS FALL 3-2 IN OVERTIME
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers hosted the Kelowna Rockets Friday night in the first half of a home-and-home weekend set.
Kamloops turned to Latvian netminder Ivans Kufterins between the pipes, while Kelowna went with American goaltender Harrison Boettiger.
The opening frame was played at a quick pace, with both teams generating early chances. The Blazers nearly opened the scoring when Josh Evaschsesen found space and snapped a wrist shot on goal, but Boettiger made a key stop. The Rockets answered with sustained pressure of their own, as Tij Iginla and Vojtech Cihar produced high-danger looks, but were denied by Kufterins.
Kelowna would breakthrough first, Iginla hammered a one-timer past Kufterins to make it 1-0. The Blazers pushed back on a power play, and nearly tied the game with a chance from Vit Zahejsky, but the puck slid across the goal line and wide.
The Rockets came out flying to start the second period, and it didn’t take long for Iginla to make an impact again as he fired home his second of the night to extend the lead to 2-0. pushed back with urgency, generating quality chances from Tommy Lafreniere and Owen Cooper, but Boettiger remained calm and composed in the Rockets’ crease.
Kamloops would find life in the final minutes of the frame when Nathan Behm fired a one-timer past Boettiger to cut the lead to one. Moments later, Behm would strike again, on another feed from Evaschsesen to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the third.
The third started with energy as the Blazers looked to gain the lead and Jordan Keller nearly provided it on a net-front chance, but his opportunity rang off the post and stayed out.
The intensity continued to build as the physical play escalated. Zahejsky delivered a heavy hit along the boards on Dawson Gerwing, and shortly after, Ryan Michael sent Carson Westch tumbling with a big check, followed by Harrison Brunicke stepping up on Iginla, further setting a physical tone. Rockets’ defenceman Parker Alcos then got loose on a two-on-one with Cihar, but Kufterins robbed him with a pad save. With regulation not solving the game, it headed to overtime.
In overtime it was Rockets defender Mazden Leslie sealing the game 3-2.
Next Up: Kamloops heads to Kelowna for a rematch at Prospera Place.
