Kamloops Blazers at Portland Winterhawks 11/01 | WHL Highlights 2025-26
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers kicked off their three game U.S. road trip against the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday night.
The opening period saw a strong start from Kamloops, who came out with jump and generated early zone time. However Portland struck first on the powerplay on a goal from Reed Brown who beat Logan Edmonstone. Kamloops and Portland each traded chances, with both Edmonstone and Ondrej Stebetak making saves. Portland would strike again as Wes McLaughlin and Alex Weirmaier each responded making it 3-0 just halfway into the period.
The Blazers didn’t back down, they picked up steam late in the frame as Josh Evaschesen stayed hot, scoring a big short handed marker on a feed from Tommy Lafreniere that beat Stebetak.
Kamloops carried that momentum into the second, generating early chances from JP Hurlbert and Nathan Behm. The pace continued to ramp up as the Blazers tested Stebetak some more and eventually cut the deficit to one on a goal from Ty Bonkowski. Portland appeared to restore their two-goal lead shortly after, but the play was called back for a high stick.
Owen Cooper then generated a breakaway opportunity but couldn’t solve Stebetak. Kamloops wouldn’t back down, and Lafreniere knotted things up on a feed from former Winterhawk Kayd Ruedig, to tie the game at 3-3.
Kamloops opened the third with heavy pressure as Jordan Keller led the charge in what was 1:30 of offensive possession. Edmonstone stayed poised between the pipes with a couple big stops, shutting the door on Winterhawks opportunities.
The Blazers then generated a high-danger chance from Nathan Behm, who could not squeeze the puck past Stebetak on a net front chance. Kamloops upped the pressure and had glorious chances from defenceman Carson Olsen and Ryan Michael as time wound down, but Stebetak came up with a big save. Kamloops out shot Portland 19-3 in the third.
Overtime opened with Kamloops mounting the pressure as Hurlbert and Keller each had chances. Portland came back the other way as Ryan Miller made a nifty move but was taken off the puck in a great defensive effort by the Blazers.
Portland then generated a two-on-one and Edmonstone came up with a big shoulder stop before the Blazers came back with numbers, and Hurlbert launched a one timer at Stebetak that was saved. Edmonstone then came up with a monster stop on the breakaway, keeping the Blazers in the game.
Since overtime wouldn’t solve the game, it had to be decided in a shootout. Kamloops and Portland battled it out though to the 11th round that saw Isa Guram score in the 9th round before the Winterhawks sealed it with a winner.
