Blazers forward Orrin Centazzo crashes into the Spokane net in a 4-3 season-opening loss on Friday night (Image Credit: Allen Douglas / Kamloops Blazers)

By Earl Seitz

Blazers vs Spokane

Blazers drop season opener to Spokane

Sep 20, 2019 | 10:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers opened their 39th season in the Western Hockey League with a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Chiefs.

In a back-and-forth first period there were a combined 26 shots before Logan Stankoven opened the scoring on the Blazers 14th shot for his first career regular season goal.

HIGHLIGHTS: Blazers lose 4-3 to the Chiefs on opening night

Fiveteen seconds later, Spokane tied it on a goal by Jake McGrew. Connor Gabruch scored at 2:30 of the second give Spokane the lead.

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Sean Strange put the Blazers back in a tie, before Luke Toporowski scored with just over a minute left in the second to put Spokane ahead 3-2 after the second.

Connor Zary with a tip in on a pass from Kyrell Sopotyk tied it at 8:31 of the third.

Just like they did in the first, the Chiefs came back seconds later to regain the lead with Jake McGrew scoring his second of the game and the game winner.

While the Blazers didn’t give up a power play goal to Spokane, they spent nearly a quarter of the game on the penalty kill, with the Chiefs going 0-for-6 — including a full five minute power play after Quinn Schmiemann took a major and game misconduct for a cross check in the second period.

POST GAME: Blazers head coach Shaun Clouston talks about the loss

The Blazers were 0-for-3 on the power play. Spokane opens the season with a 4-3 win on shots of 37-34.

The Blazers now travel to the U.S. Division for games in Seattle on Saturday and Portland on Sunday.

The next home game is next Friday against the Kelowna Rockets.