The Kamloops Blazers 
hosted the Victoria Royals on Wednesday night, their slim playoff hopes hanging in the balance. The Royals needed just a single point on the night to clinch a playoff spot for the seventh straight year, and every year since moving from Chilliwack.
Victoria, playing without top players Matthew Phillips, Tyler Soy, Chaz Reddekopp, and Griffen Outhouse, would start the game strong out shooting Kamloops seven to zero through ten minutes. The Blazers first shot on goal however, would result in the home side taking a 1 – 0 lead on Connor Zary’s seventh of the season. Quite an uneventful first period would end with the Blazers leading but being outshot 12 – 7.
Just over eight minutes into the second period the Royals would take a too-many-men penalty. 51 seconds into the power play, as the Royals broke out on a possible two-on-one, Mitchell Prowse would take a cross-checking penalty giving the Blazers a two-man advantage. Quinn Benjafield would saucer a cross ice pass to Nick Chyzowski who would find twine just 25 
seconds into the five on three. The Blazers would remain on the power play, but an ill advised pinch from the point by Orrin Centazzo would lead to a short handed breakaway for Dante Hannoun. Centazzo back checking hard would hook Hannoun, resulting in a penalty shot. The first penalty shot of the night would see the puck slip away from Hannoun resulting in no shot and no goal. The Blazers would break out from their own end after the ensuing face-off. Joe Gatenby would chip the puck past the Royals defender at the offensive blue line. Gatenby, who was honoured pre-game for playing in over 300 WHL games, would pass the puck out front and Brodi Stuart would score the second power play goal of the night. Less than two minutes later the fourth line would get in on the action. Travis Walton would fire a shot on net, Dean McNabb would let out a rebound and Ryley Appelt would bang home his third of the season. Andrei Grishakov, unassisted, would get Victoria on the board 53 seconds later on a terrible defensive zone giveaway by the Blazers. Jermaine Loewen would round out the second period scoring, netting his team leading 33rd of the season with 3:18 left in the frame. Late in the period Royals Tanner Kaspick would take a run at Appelt resulting in a minor for Checking to the Head, the home fans voiced their displeasure at it not being a major. Kamloops would head to the third period leading five to one.
There would be no third period scoring in the game. It would though see the second penalty shot of the game. Benjafield would be hooked on a breakaway with 2:30 left and once again the referee would point to centre ice. The result would be much the same as Hannoun’s earlier penalty shot as Benjafield would only get a weak shot on McNabb. The Kamloops win would keep their very slim playoff hopes alive, moving to within six points of idle Seattle with seven games remaining. The Thunderbirds have ten games left. The Blazers would finish the night with great special teams numbers, killing all four Victoria power plays and scoring on two of their four. 
Kamloops plays a home and home set with the Vancouver Giants this Friday and Saturday. Victoria plays a double header up North in Prince George.
Three Stars:
- Joe Gatenby 2A +1
- Connor Zary 1G 1A +1
- Nick Chyzowski 1G GWG -1
