Allen Douglas

Blazers throttle Thunderbirds 10-1

A modest yet boisterous 3,415 fans at the Sandman Centre were treated to a unanimous victory by TKO on Wednesday night thanks to a 10-1 shellacking by the home side.

Logan Stankoven’s seventh goal of the season kicked things off, giving the Blazers a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. To the Thunderbirds’ credit, a 5-2 defeat the previous night on home ice did little to slow the visitors down, even after Connor Zary’s first goal of the game and 13th of the season created a two-goal cushion in the second period.

Former Blazer Keltie Jeri-Leon responded to Zary’s even-strength goal, shrinking the Blazers’ lead to one with a blocker-side snipe on Dylan Garand. After a physical, well-structured start to the game from Seattle, you would have to forgive the Blazers faithful for any underlying skepticism after watching Taylor Gauthier nearly steal a game for Prince George the previous weekend.

There was no thievery on Wednesday night, however, and accountability was sought regardless. Post game, Blazers coach Shaun Clouston hinted toward the calm, steady presence of 20-year-old defenceman Max Martin at a crucial point of the game.

Max Martin. Photo by Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers.

“When it was 2-1 and it got a little up-and-down, the bench got a little bit noisy and not in a good way. Max was the guy that settled things down. He said ‘hey guys, we got this, just keep playing right and it’ll turn,’ and it did.”

Martin talked the talk, then he walked it. The former WHL champion collected four assists on the night, bringing his total to 19 points in 16 games as a Blazer. Martin’s tranquil play has brought a stabilizing presence to the Kamloops blue-line, one that Blazers captain Zane Franklin has relished.

“I honestly think he’s brought just as much on the ice as off the ice. On the ice, you guys see it all — the poise, the patience, the power-play presence. He brings all that, but just as much off the ice. He’s been huge helping me navigate [my] first year being captain.”

If Franklin is the beneficiary of Martin’s expertise, consider the captain’s third-period fight against Tyrel Bauer as a way of passing it on. Daylan Kuefler, who recorded his first WHL point with an assist on Martin Lang’s second-period goal, was caught by a high stick from Bauer after an extensive battle in front of Blake Lyda’s crease.

“They started taking some liberties that I don’t think were necessary, and of course, the game wasn’t that close so I thought I should just step in there and prove a point.”

After Franklin exited the penalty box, Kuefler slid down the bench to tap the Blazers captain on the helmet, a show of respect that was of little surprise to Franklin.

“Daylan’s a heck of a kid — one of the nicest guys on the team. He deserved that [point]. He always comes to the rink with a good attitude, so good for him.”

Kuefler’s milestone evening was ultimately overshadowed by a hat trick from Zary, including one at even-strength, one on the power-play, and one on the penalty kill where, according to Clouston, the forward has continued to round out his game.

Connor Zary. Photo by Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers.

“Him and Stewie [Brodi Stuart] have worked together for a long time now as our top pair on the kill. They read off each other really well, They gotta good feel for it and then they run the structure pretty good.”

The structure on special teams now has the Blazers deploying the best penalty kill and second-best power play in the WHL — a large reason that they now find themselves atop the Western Conference and sporting a league-best +41 goal differential.

Once again, the in-house three stars of the game were choices that simply could not be argued with, but DUBNetwork has to throw an honourable mention out to Daylan Kuefler for a solid game and first WHL point.