Franklin’s hat trick leads Blazers to fourth straight victory

Has Zane Franklin ever recorded a hat trick with all three goals coming on the power play? No. That is, not until Friday night’s game against the Vancouver Giants. The rare performance from the Blazers’ captain may have been as simple as reviewing the film. 

Zane Franklin. Photo by Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

Even with two power play goals between Franklin and Martin Lang in the first 40 minutes, the Blazers were well aware of their opportunity to put the game away heading into the final frame. “We looked at some video between periods, and I think [we] got back to basics,” Franklin added. “And five-on-threes help a lot…”

Vancouver’s Bowen Byram took a tripping penalty with just 23 seconds remaining in the second period. To make matters worse, Byram responded to the call by sending the puck down the length of the ice and received an extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. With Vancouver’s most valuable player exiled to the penalty box, Franklin iced the game with two power play markers exactly one minute apart from each other. 

Kamloops’ one other power-play goal on the evening was courtesy of Martin Lang’s wrist shot through Tendeck’s five-hole. Along with Lang’s three-point night, the Czech Republic native has now scored in three straight games. 

Dylan Garand – Evan Patrician. Photo by Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

While the Blazers’ power play was firing on all cylinders, the penalty kill was nothing short of perfect on Friday evening. After killing off all six Giants’ power plays, four of which occurred in the third period, Kamloops now owns the top-ranked penalty kill in the WHL, thanks in large part to the stellar play of Dylan Garand. The 17-year-old goaltender stopped all 23 shots he faced en route to his first shutout of the season and the second of his WHL career. 

 

Game Notes

Zane Franklin’s hat trick was his second as a Blazer and third in the WHL. 

Thanks to two consecutive shutouts between Rayce Ramsay and Dylan Garand, the Blazers now own the WHL’s second-best goal differential at +19, trailing only the Medicine Hat Tigers. 

Kamloops has now won seven of their last eight games, outscoring their opponents 37-11 in that stretch. 

The top line of Franklin, Centazzo, and Connor Zary now has a combined 48 points in 11 games

3 stars of the game

3: Dylan Garand

2: Martin Lang

1: Zane Franklin

DUBNetwork’s 3 stars

3: Martin Lang: As Shaun Clouston noted after the game: “He’s gotten better as the season’s gone on.”

2: Zane Franklin: Scored a hat trick, then blocked shots to preserve the shutout.

1: Dylan Garand: His calm presence was everything the Blazers needed, especially on the penalty kill.