By Earl Seitz

Uphill gets steeper for the Blazers after shutout loss to Vancouver

Mar 6, 2019 | 9:29 PM

KAMLOOPS — The climb up hill is steeper for the Blazers after a 5-0 loss to the Vancouver Giants.

It was the final game in the season series between the B.C. Division teams, with Vancouver going 8-0-0-0, while the Blazers were 0-5-2-1.

After a scoreless first period Vancouver opened the scoring 34 seconds into the second when Jadon Joseph beat Dylan Ferguson on a wraparound.

HIGHLIGHTS: Blazers blanked 5-0 by Vancouver

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 12, 2024

12h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: North Shore BIA working hard to develop a 'happening place'

18h ago

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

A short time later, Ferguson stretched his leg across the crease to cover the corner. He was injured on the play and left game, with Dylan Garand coming in to finish.

The Giants scored on their second shot on Garand — a power play goal by Davis Koch. Vancouver scored twice on 14 shots in the second period, while holding the Blazers to only two shots.

It remained 2-0 until 9:45 of the third when Justin Sourdif scored.

“That third goal against really hurt us.” said Blazers coach Serge Lajoie.  “Then it seemed like the energy was just zapped out of us.”

POST GAME: Blazers coach Serge Lajoie talks after 5-0 loss

Vancouver finished the scoring with back to back power play goals by Bowen Byram and Joseph with his second of the game.

The Giants went 3-for-5 on the power play and outshot the Blazers 31-16.

The Blazers remain seven points behind Seattle for the second wild card and seven points behind Kelowna for third place in the B.C. Division, with both of those being playoff positions.

“I keep maintaining that there are some young men in there that continue to come to the rink.” says Serge Lajoie. “They have a broad vision of where they see themselves in two, three or four years. This is part of that growing process. It’s not easy. We know we would like to be in a different situation, but we are in this situation for a reason. For us to start feeling sorry for ourselves, or miss opportunities to get better on and off the ice, that’s not what Blazers hockey is about.” 

With Seattle and Kelowna both idle Wednesday night, the Blazers made up the game in hand they had on the Thunderbirds, and with six games left still hold a game in hand on the Rockets, who they will face in a home and away series this weekend.