Image Credit: Kamloops Blazers/Allen Douglas

By Adam Donnelly

GOALS, GOALS, GOALS

The Blazers are undefeated in eight straight games — they can’t stop scoring

Jan 21, 2020 | 4:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers are rolling right now. Since the start of 2020, the team has eight wins and no losses – and in those games, they’ve outscored their opponents 49 to 11.

Part of their success has been the team’s depth; from the 20-year-olds to the 16-year-olds, the Blazers have been getting contributions from their whole lineup.

It’s safe to say things are loose around the Blazes locker room these days. Why wouldn’t they be? The boys in blue and orange are winners of eight straight games this calendar year, and continue to grow their lead in the WHL’s BC Division.

For veteran d-man Max Martin, he sees some similarities with the Prince Albert team he was on last season.

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“It reminds me a lot [of 2018-2019]. Last year we didn’t have the most top-end guys in the league,” Martin told CFJC Today. “We thought it was just about playing within the structure and playing to our capabilities. I think we’re doing that here this year, as well.”

Martin leads all WHL defensemen in scoring this season with eight goals and 38 assists. Half of those points have come on the powerplay, where he’s tied with Blazers Captain Zane Franklin with 23 assists on the man-advantage.

Image Credit: Kamloops Blazers/Allen Douglas

“I think confidence is huge, no matter what you’re doing,” Franklin said. “Obviously, on the powerplay, it makes a huge difference. I think Max has brought that. He’s kind of made us gel as a group. As our powerplay goes, whoever has the puck, they’re able to make a play.”

Franklin leads the WHL in scoring with 72 points, three more than Adam Beckman, of the Spokane Chiefs. The 20-year-old winger says it’s nice to be on top, but it’s not a position he expected to in.

“I’ve said it a couple of times: I had more fights my first year than I did points,” Franklin said. “At the start of the year, I knew I was going to have a good opportunity with OC (Orin Centazzo) and (Connor) Zary. I think it’s better than we expected.”

Franklin’s linemate Centazzo is tied for the league lead with 33 goals. Zary, who centers the cousins from Marwayne, Alta., has 28 goals and 31 assists. While the top line has been racking up the points, it’s the contributions from the younger members of the team that has impressed the Blazers vets.

Image Credit: Kamloops Blazers/Allen Douglas

“For those guys to get the opportunity this weekend, and play more — they capitalized on their opportunities,” Martin said. “I’m really proud of how they’ve handled themselves, they really put their heads down and have worked as hard as they can, and they got rewarded for it.”

Reese Belton tallied his first WHL goal on Friday and followed with his second on Saturday. He, along with linemates Caedan Bankier and Daylan Keufler, have been working hard all year and that hard work has paid off in recent games.

“Me, and Daylan, and Caedan, we’ve been put together quite a bit this year. I think because of that, we’ve found a lot of chemistry together,” Belton said after Saturday night’s win.

“We’ve been pushing to get [Belton] his first goal. I know maybe it was on his mind, a little bit,” Franklin said about the rookie. “We’re really proud of him, and all the young guys for how they’ve stepped up the last couple games — the last 20 games, even — they’ve played really good hockey, and it’s made a huge difference for us on the ice.”

With all four lines capable of contributing, vets like Martin are excited about what this team could accomplish.

“It reminds me of our team [in Prince Albert] last year,” Martin said. “We had the depth and the skill. I think we have that here this year, and it really helps.”