(Facebook/Kamloops Blazers).

By Aaron Schulze

Blazers 7 Cougars 1

Blazers win back-to-back weekend games against the Cougars

Jan 2, 2022 | 9:51 AM

KAMLOOPS — The kids were alright for the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday (Jan. 1) against the Prince George Cougars.

One day after closing 2021 with a 4-3 shootout win in Prince George, the Blazers blew out the Cougars at the Sandman Centre 7-1. Kamloops scored four goals in the first period, three of them produced by the third line of Emmitt Finnie, Tye Spencer, and Dylan Sydor.

From there, a pair of firsts were the insurance marker. Kaden Hammell, the 16-year-old defenceman and the Blazers’ first round draft pick in 2020, scored his first career Western Hockey League (WHL) goal, along with 16-year-old Luke Korte.

After a challenging 10-game stretch that saw them go 2-7-1, the Blazers have won back-to-back games and have a record of 21-9-1, good for 43 points in 31 games and first place in the B.C. Division. They trail the Everett Silvertips by seven points in the WHL Western Conference, although the Blazers have two games in hand.

The Blazers are scheduled to host the Portland Winterhawks on Friday (Jan. 7).

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Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Blazers, Dylan Sydor (5) from Emmitt Finnie and Tye Spencer, 5:16

2-0, Blazers, Dylan Sydor 2 (6) from Tye Spencer and Emmitt Finnie, 12:47

3-0, Blazers, Mats Lindgren (2) from Tye Spencer and Dylan Sydor, 13:44

4-0, Blazers, Fraser Minten (9) from Quinn Schmiemann and Mats Lindgren (power play), 19:39

Second Period

5-0, Blazers, Kaden Hammell (1) from Nick McCarry and Tye Spencer, 14:49

6-0, Blazers, Connor Levis (8) from Fraser Minten, 16:08

Third Period

6-1, Cougars, Hudson Thornton (7) unassisted, 4:46

7-1, Blazers, Luke Korte (1) from Fraser Minten, 11:05

Goaltending

Dylan Garand (W), Blazers, 15 saves on 16 shots in 60 minutes played.

Tyler Brennan (L), Cougars, 15 saves on 21 shots in 36 minutes played.

Ty Young, Cougars, seven saves on eight shots in 24 minutes played.