KAMLOOPS – With six days off, it was thought the Kamloops Blazers would come into Saturday night’s game against the Swift Current Broncos rested and ready and with the help of hometown kid 15-year-old Logan Stankoven, to put up a bunch of goals against a club who is averaging five goals against per game to start to the 2018-19 campaign.
Early in the first period, it was evident the plan was not going to go as smoothly as planned when Swift Current’s Alec Zawatsky would score to give the Broncos the lead only three minutes in to the game. Stankoven would throw himself all over the ice, playing the puck and moving quickly in the offensive and defensive zone. Stankoven’s ice time was somewhat limited in the first period and he saw no special teams which was by design according to head coach Serge Lajoie “You gotta be cautious, it’s not about giving a 15-year-old too much, it’s about setting him up for success.” The Blazers would finish the period without anything to show for their 16 shots.
The Blazer’s struggle to score goals would continue well into the second period until 2001-born Connor Zary ripped a wrister past Bronco goalie Joel Hofer halfway through the frame. The teams would trade chances the rest of the period and head into the third tied 2-2. Head coach Serge Lajoie talked about it after the game. “We found ourselves in a familiar situation… I challenged the guys to find a way. There are no shortcuts; work hard, have each other’s back and put your body on the line.”
The Blazers found the back of the net early in the third period to take the lead through the stick of Zane Franklin. He stormed down the left side of the ice and beat Hofer with a backhand. That lead would be short lived, as Kamloops native Max Patterson scored on the power play during a goalmouth scramble for his second of the year. Kamloops eventually found their groove later in the third period when Stankoven chipped the puck down the boards finding the stick of Josh Pillar who beat Hofer with a wrister. The Kamloops kid was on the scoresheet with an assist on teammate Josh Pillar’s first WHL goal “Stanky chipped it off the wall, and I was just walked in a shot, the celly too, I was happy.” Kamloops would score once more into an empty net and go onto beat Swift Current 5-3. Although four did get behind him, Hofer was easily the Broncos best player. He did everything he could have when they were leading, and kept them in a competitive game when they were trailing or tied. This isn’t a rare occurrence for this Bronco team, in Hofer’s last three starts he has faced a total of 157 shots allowing 12 goals for an impressive save percentage of .923.
While it wasn’t pretty, Lajoie Confirmed the Blazers got what they needed in this game, a win. “When you don’t get the results, you start the question the process.”
Up next for the Blazers is a US division swing next weekend. Three games in three nights see them in Seattle Friday night and Portland Saturday and Sunday.
