T-Birds Fire Past Blazers
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Cameron Schmidt scored twice and Grayson Malinoski came up with 32 saves as the Seattle Thunderbirds skated past the Kamloops Blazers, 4-1, Tuesday at the Sandman Centre. The Thunderbirds resume play with a pair of games this weekend against the Tri-City Americans. Seattle is in Kennewick Friday then return home Saturday to host the Americans at the accesso ShoWare Center. Game time Saturday is 6:05 p.m.
“It was a greasy road win,” claimed head coach Matt O’Dette as the T-Birds moved within two points of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. “I thought we bent but didn’t break. Obviously Mali was really good. These are the type of games you need sometimes on the road.”
For the third straight game the T-Birds opened the scoring with the first of Schmidt’s two on the night, taking a head man pass from Coster Dunn and scoring while the two teams skated four aside. The goal, at 4:20 of the first period would stand up through two periods.
“Stats tell the story,” explained O’Dette. “Scoring the first goal gives you a better chance of winning. You get some confidence early in the game and you’re not pressing as much.”
Seattle (25-26-5-3) would extend their lead when Simon Lovsin finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Brock England at 5:43 of the third period. The goal, Lovsin’s fifteenth of the season, would stand up as the game winner. Sawyer Mayes had the second assist.
“Kind of a lucky bounce there,” said O’Dette of the game winner. “But when you defend the right way sometimes you create odd man rushes the other way. I thought Lovy had a hard-working game all night and when you do that you sometimes get rewarded with a good bounce.”
Kamloops pulled to within a goal with just under seven minutes remaining. As the game wound down the Blazers pulled their goalie for the extra attacker looking for the tying goal. Instead, the Thunderbirds would find the empty net twice. Schmidt got his second, unassisted at 18:15 and Sawyer Mayes scored a minute later off a Joe Gramer assist to ice the win.
T-BIRD EXTRAS
Schmidt’s 43 goals on the season is tops in the WHL.
Kamloops was awarded a penalty shot midway through the third period bur Malinoski came up with the stop.
After losing the first two this season to the Blazers, Seattle won the last three and won the regular season series from Kamloops, 3-2.
Antonio Martorana did not play in Tuesday’s game as he began serving a four game, league imposed, suspension for a Game Misconduct he incurred at the end of the second period last Saturday versus Everett. He is eligible to return to action March 13th.
Brayden Holberton missed the game as he served game four of his five game suspension from a one man fight in a recent game against Portland. He will return to the lineup Saturday.
Boxscore: Seattle Thunderbirds at Kamloops Blazers – Tuesday, March 3, 2026
