Slow starts have decimated the Kamloops Blazers this season. Seemingly in every game, they find themselves chasing the game down by one or more goals. In this one, Kamloops was able to find the scoresheet first.
Coming into this weekend, Kamloops’ injury problems have been well documented, down two regular d-men and Jeff faith playing back on the blue line, the Blazers had five defensemen dressed, including 15-year-old Ethan Brandwood.
Early in the first, Kamloops got rid of some of their skeletons and scored 28 seconds into the game. Zane Franklin scored his 22nd of the season after slick pass from 18-year-old forward Orrin Centazzo giving the Blazers a 1-0 lead.
“It’s so important for this group, all the young guys and even some of our veterans… I think the way we started was built right from Tuesday. We had some good practices and good energy.” said head coach Serge Lajoie.
Playing with the lead is something the Blazers haven’t done much this year, and something coaching staff was eager to see.
“It’s that balance, you don’t want to get on your heels and let them attack you in waves, you still want to have a pressure mentality… At the start of the year we might have continued on to have our second turn into a bad third. I thought we came back and played a good period, that’s a sign of maturity for our guys.”
Obviously, playing with the lead is something that the Blazers enjoyed because before the ten minute mark of the 1st period they extended their advantage.
Import defenceman Joonas Sillanpaa took a long wrister that ended up hitting Connor Zary in the pants and ricocheting into the net behind Spokane Chiefs goaltender, Reece Klassen. For Zary, it’s his 11th of the season.
The second period didn’t produce any offence, but lots of shots, mostly for the visiting team. Spokane fired 11 pucks towards goaltender Dylan Ferguson’s net including countless one-timers by top players Jake McGrew and Jared Anderson-Dolan.
Ferguson stood tall, not allowing Spokane to beat him in the middle frame. The 20-year-old goaltender stopped all 11 shots in the period and had the praise of his head coach Serge Lajoie after the game.
“He was tremendous. Our defenseman did a good job at clearing the front of the net. Fergy made some saves that will make the highlight reels across the league.” Lajoie Continued “I think he proved to everybody that when he’s in the right headspace he’s a tremendous athlete and goaltender.”
Six minutes into the third, Captain Jermaine Loewen put the home team up by three after battling in front of the net to find a loose puck.
“He was in his office, it’s nice for him to be rewarded. He’s been playing with a lot more confidence and jump. He seems free to play his game and he’s been one of our top performers in the last four or five games. I’m very happy for him to be rewarded, he puts in a lot of work in the corners and in front of the net.”
Dylan Ferguson finished off his first shutout of the season in style making multiple five alarm saves including a glove save late in the game that he had absolutely no business making.
“I just kinda blackout, it just comes to me. I had a lot of trust in myself tonight. The guys played great in front of me and everyone was competing” said Ferguson. “The guys know this is a huge stretch having this many home games, we want to make ourselves a home team.”
Ferguson was asked about his first shutout of the season. “It was great, it took me four years to get one in the home barn”
The 20-year-old goalie hopes he can show his partner and backup Dylan Garand the ropes for the future “It makes me think back to when [Connor] Ingram was here, I was looking up to him and kept a close eye on him. When he went away to World Juniors I just felt I knew what to do because of him. I hope I can do the same for Dylan [Garand]. He’s a good kid and a great goalie, he has a bright future ahead of him.”
BLAZING ALONG
Kamloops is now only three points back of Kelowna for 3rd in the BC division, and tied with Seattle for the final wildcard playoff spot. Catching Kelowna and avoiding either Vancouver or Everett in the first round is an attainable goal and the ideal situation for the Blazers.
The Blazers are home to the Victoria Royals tomorrow night, in another important BC division matchup.
ATTENDANCE
Announced attendance was 3302. @chadHarrisTV wins our just for fun contest with a guess of 3722.
3,722. What do I win? Price is right rules?
— Chad Harris (@ChadHarrisTV) January 26, 2019
