The Blazers cruised through a 3-in-3 set at the Langley Events Centre this past weekend, finishing with a combined score of 18-6 against their B.C. division opponents.
Beginning Friday afternoon, the Blazers brushed the Prince George Cougars aside with a 7-1 win. Orrin Centazzo led the way with a goal and two assists, while six other Blazers finished with two points. Goaltender Rayce Ramsay played all 60 minutes, allowing just one goal on 27 shots.
Spreading it out
Kamloops then returned to the LEC the following morning and jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two periods against the Royals. It was a full team effort on Saturday, as six different Blazers found the back of the net, including Reese Belton’s third goal in four pre-season games. Victoria responded with four of their own in the third period but ultimately fell short in a 6-4 defeat.
Cherry on top
The Blazers then wrapped up their weekend with a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants on Sunday evening. The trio of Centazzo, Logan Stankoven, and Zane Franklin finished with eight points in the game, led by Stankoven’s two goals and one assist. Rayce Ramsay recorded the win, allowing one goal on 23 shots.
By the numbers
Through four games, Stankoven’s five goals and 10 points both lead the WHL in pre-season scoring. The trio of Stankoven, Franklin, and Centazzo have combined for 28 points in seven games played. Stankoven has also accumulated a 29 percent shooting percentage and won 55 percent of his draws in the faceoff dot. Eight of the WHLs top-10 leaders in +/- are Blazers, including rookies Stankoven, Trevor Thurston, Ethan Brandwood and Inaki Baragano. After Ramsay’s win on Sunday evening, the netminder has now collected a 1.98 goals-against average to go along with his 0.922 save percentage in three games.
Whistles galore
The WHL officials are keen on clamping down early. Of the 66 combined penalties between the Blazers and their opponents, four have been the result of improper use of a mouthguard. The Blazers have connected on five of their 28 opportunities on the man-advantage in the pre-season and are now clipping at 17.9 percent with the extra man.
What’s on tap
The Blazers now have four days off before concluding their pre-season at the Sandman Centre, where they will kick off a home-and-home series against the Kelowna Rockets on September 13th.
