(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Welcome Back Blazers Fans

Blazers win first pre-season game 5-3, welcome 1,164 fans back to Sandman Centre

Sep 18, 2021 | 10:21 AM

KAMLOOPS — March 6, 2020, saw 4,159 fans attend the Kamloops Blazers’ home game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Sandman Centre.

It would be the Blazers’ last game in front of paying Kamloops fans for 560 days, as the COVID-19 pandemic ended the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) 2019-20 season and put the B.C. Division teams in empty-arena games for a shortened season in 2021.

On Friday (Sept. 17), 1,164 fans attended the Sandman Centre for the Blazers’ first pre-season game of the 2021-22 WHL season, and the home team rewarded them with a 5-3 win over the Prince George Cougars.

Tied 2-2 heading into the third period, two goals in 18 seconds put the Blazers up for good, with Kamloops local Dylan Sydor scoring the game winning goal on a beautiful backhand shot as one of his three points on the evening.

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Game Summary

First Period

1-0, Cougars, Koehn Ziemmer (1) from Mitch Kohner and Ephram McNutt, 5:31

1-1, Blazers, Nick McCarry (1) from Josh Pillar and Kaden Hammell, 6:09

Second Period

2-1, Cougars, Hudson Thornton (1) from Villiam Kmec and Kyren Gronick (power play), 13:59

2-2, Blazers, Mats Lindgren (1) from Josh Pillar and Nick McCarry (power play), 17:49

Third Period

3-2, Blazers, Logan Bairos (1) from Dylan Sydor and Reese Belton (power play), 1:26

4-2, Blazers, Dylan Sydor (1) unassisted, 1:44

4-3, Cougars, Caden Brown (1) from Carter MacAdams and Aiden Reeves, 9:31

5-3, Blazers, Connor Levis (1) from Nick McCarry and Dylan Sydor (power play), 19:50