Allen Douglas
B.C. Division

Blazers continue to fill the net, beat Giants 7-4

Written by Kevin Olenick on

The Kamloops Blazers have started the year filling the net. On Friday, for the sixth time in seven games, the Blazers have scored more than three goals in a game. This time it was seven leading to a 7-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants.

The co-captains, Logan Stankoven and Quinn Schmiemann, scored twice for the Blazers. For Schmiemann, it was his first two goals of the season, and he also had an assist. For Stankoven, it was his fourth and fifth. Marko Stacha, Josh Pillar, and Fraser Minten also scored.

The Blazers scored three goals in 48 seconds in the first period. Schmiemann started the scoring at 12:42. Stacha at 13:02 and Stankoven at 13:30. Ty Thorpe scored for the Giants49 second into the second. However, the Blazers scored another three in a row. Pillar, Schmiemann, and Minten scored for the Blazers to make it 6-1. The Giants made a run with three goals in a row. Adam Hall, Nicco Camazzola, and Fabian Lysell scored in the third. However, Stankoven sealed the game for the Blazers with the empty netter. In goal, Will Giurski made 21 saves on 27 shots for the Giants.

The win for the Blazers completes a two-game sweep over the Giants. Kamloops shut out the Giants 5-0 last Saturday and outscored the Giants 12-4 in the series. This included a combined six goals in the first period.

Dylan Garand made 25 saves for the victory. The Blazers are now 6-1 to start the season. Their .857b win percentage is good for second overall in the League. Only the unbeaten Winnipeg Ice are ahead of them.

The Rockets face the Victoria Cougars on Friday, Oct 29, at the Sandman Centre. Then they travel to Prince George to face the Cougars on Saturday, Oct 30.

The Blazers’ victory wasn’t the only victory they were celebrating. Former Blazer Goalie Connor Ingram made 33 saves for the Nashville Predators on his way to his first NHL win in his first NHL start. The Predators beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2