Image Credit: Kamloops Blazers/Allen Douglas

By Adam Donnelly

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Blazers bash Royals in BC Division matchup

Jan 4, 2020 | 10:32 PM

KAMLOOPS — Five nights after the Victoria Royals rolled through town and crowned the Blazers by a 4-1 score, it was rematch night at the Sandman Centre.

The Blazers got on the scoreboard first. 16-year-old Logan Stankoven got things started for the home team, as he tucked a rebound past Brock Gould at the 10-minute mark of the first period. Fun fact: that goal was Stankoven’s seventh first goal – a goal that opens the scoring in a game – of the season.

Victoria answered back less than two and a half minutes later. Sean Gulka picked up the puck on a face-off and took it to the net, sliding it between Dylan Garand’s legs to tie things at one.

Late in the frame, with Victoria’s Gary Haden in the box for slashing, the Marwayne cousin connection (great name for a country band, by the way) came through. Zane Franklin zipped a pass to Orrin Centazzo, and it bounced off OC’s skate and in. The play would be reviewed, but the officials said good goal. 2-1 Kamloops after one period.

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Last Monday, the second period really hurt the Blazers. They surrendered two goals and weren’t able to muster any offence in the eventual 4-1 loss. On Saturday, the tables were turned. Kamloops scored twice; first, Inaki Baragano beat Gould from the point to make it a 3-1 game.

Then Franklin, on another powerplay, took a pass in the slot and went top cheese to make the score 4-1.

Ryley Appelt would bang home the nail in the Royals coffin, as he got a tap in two minutes into the third to round out the scoring.

The Blazers peppered Gould with 42 shots in the game. Dylan Garand had another slow night, as he stopped 16 of 17 shots he faced.

The victory moves Kamloops seven points up on the Royals in the BC Division standings. These two teams are set to meet again in a pair of games in mid-February.