Kamloops Blazers at Wenatchee Wild 01/23 | WHL Highlights 2025-26
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers headed south into the U.S. Division to kick off a three-game weekend, opening the slate against the Wenatchee Wild.
The Blazers welcomed back Vit Zahejsky to the lineup, as the Czech forward returned after missing 40 games with a fractured leg. The Blazers also got Harrison Brunicke back after he sat out the previous two contests.
The first opened with a high pace, as both Tobias Tvrznik and Logan Edmonstone were tested early on. Kamloops set the tone physically, as Nathan Behm delivered a big hit and Carson Olsen rocked his man along the glass, igniting the Blazers bench. That energy would translate and J.P. Hurlbert fired home his 30th goal of the campaign on Tvrznik to make it 1-0, 6:32 into the period.
Kamloops doubled the lead later when Brunicke wired a shot from the point, making it 2-0, scoring his first goal since returning from the NHL. The Blazers weren’t finished yet, as Hurlbert found Tommy Lafreniere who buried it to give Kamloops a commanding 3-0 lead after one.
The Blazers got the second period off to a quick start, just 17 seconds in on a 5-on-3 powerplay, Brunicke went coast-to-coast, scoring his second of the night to make it 4-0. Not long after, Ty Coupland fired a shot and Josh Evaschesen would tip it past Cal Conway to make it 5-0. Evaschesen then struck again shortly after, this time short handed, notching his 22nd goal of the season and extending the lead to 6-0.
Edmonstone kept Wenatchee off the scoreboard with a pair of key stops, remaining calm and poised between the pipes. The Blazers weren’t done, as Joaquin Geras fired a point shot and scored his first WHL goal late in the period, rounding out a dominant 7-0 period.
The third opened with a slower pace, as the Wild and Blazers traded low danger chances. Wenatchee would strike midway through the period as Grady Veary notched his first WHL goal, beating Edmonstone and ending his shutout streak.
Hurlbert nearly made it 8-1, as he dangled through Wild players, but couldn’t solve Conway on the wraparound attempt. The Wild would strike again on a turnover, as Nolan Caffey’s shot beat Edmonstone. Kamloops would lock it down defensively to round out the rest of the frame, earning a big 7-2 win.
Next Up: The Blazers will face the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday and the Tri-City Americans on Sunday.
