A quick look at recent results along with a glance at the current standings would lead anyone to believe the Kamloops Blazers were going to be in tough last weekend. The WHL schedule had them playing three games in three nights against US division foes Seattle, on Friday, and Portland on Saturday and Sunday. Luckily, their newly minted leader was about to dawn the captain’s “C” for the first time.
When Jermain Loewen hit the ice in Seattle on Friday after serving his four game suspension it served as a “reset” of his season thus far. The Blazers allowed the first two goals but then went on to score seven unanswered to dispatch the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-2. Loewen finished the game with one goal and one assist.
Kamloops would take their victory in Washington and move on to Oregon to face the Winterhawks who had just earlier this month, rather handily, beat the river city team twice in Kamloops’ own building.
Jermaine, along with goaltender Dylan Ferguson would carry the team to another stateside win. Loewen would finish the game with four points including a hat-trick. Meanwhile Ferguson would stop 32 of 34 shots en route to his fifth win of the year. DUBNetwork’s Joshua Critzer asked Jermaine about it after the game. “I saw the team was working pretty hard in both the defensive and offensive zone, we were relentless. We got a good cycle in the offensive zone and I got opportunities I cashed in. We also got the 5-on-3 that was big to get my second of the night. It was a big team effort and three straight for our team. We are finding a way to win and doing it in a gutsy manner.” Loewen went on to talk about his netminder “Portland has a really good transition game so if we are not aware behind us, they caught us in a few opportunities, but Fergy was there.”
“We are finding a way to win and doing it in a gutsy manner.” – Jermaine Loewen
On Sunday evening, the Blazers would attempt to return the favour and complete the two game road sweep of Portland just as they had done in Kamloops earlier in the month. 20-year-old Loewen mentioned keeping the game simple was going to be key “focusing on keeping the game simple. I want to play my game. I know they are going to as a team want to gap up on me and be tight. I just need to keep playing my game and the team will continue to keep doing that as well”.
As fate would have it, the Blazers would indeed complete the sweep with a 5-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks leading the team to their season high four game winning streak. 16-year-old Josh Pillar led the way with one goal and one assist, finishing the weekend with one goal and five assists for six points. Head Coach Serge Lajoie on Pillar “There is no other way to put it, he plays the game the right way. He plays in straight lines, he is very good at cutting back and putting himself in a good position and working to get inside position.”
We are seeing the growth of 16yr old Josh Pillar.
Since being left off U17 Challenge rosters… has 8pts in the last four games.
vs Swift 1-1-2
vs Seattle 0-1-1
vs Port 0-3-3
vs Port 1-1-2— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) October 29, 2018
Kamloops now finds themselves 3rd in the BC division behind Victoria and Vancouver. The Blazers will look to extend their winning streak when they take on the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday before heading down highway 1 for a single game in Langley vs the Giants on Saturday.
On Monday, the Sandman Centre in Kamloops will play host to game one of the CIBC Canada Russia Series as team WHL takes on Team Russia. IF you are interested, tickets can be purchased here: Canada Russia Series
