(Facebook/Kamloops Blazers).

By Aaron Schulze

Blazers Best in B.C.

Three-peat: Blazers win B.C. Division for third straight season after blowing out Cougars 8-2

Mar 31, 2022 | 5:14 AM

KAMLOOPS — For the third straight season, the Kamloops Blazers are B.C.’s best in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

The Blazers clinched their third straight B.C. Division championship with an 8-2 blowout over the Prince George Cougars at Sandman Centre Wednesday (March 30) evening. The 2021-22 B.C. Division championship follows 2019-20 where the Blazers clinched the division prior to the cancelation of the remainder of the WHL regular season and playoffs, and the shortened, 24-game pod season in 2021.

Kamloops arguably had the 2021-22 B.C. Division clinched after the first period. Goals from Caedan Bankier, Daylan Kuefler, Fraser Minten, and Logan Stankoven (twice) gave the Blazers a 5-0 lead with 40 minutes remaining. Dylan Garand made 31 saves – along with scoring an assist – to keep the Cougars from getting within striking distance.

The B.C. Division championship means the Blazers will have at least one of the top two playoff seeds in the WHL Western Conference, guaranteeing them home-ice advantage up until the Western Conference Finals.

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The Blazers are 45-15-2 on the 2021-22 WHL season, good for 92 points in 62 games. With six games left in their regular season, the Blazers trail the Everett Silvertips for first in the Western Conference by two points.

While Everett has a game in hand, Kamloops has the first tiebreaker: overall victories. The Blazers have 45, while the Silvertips have 43.

The Blazers return home for another home game Friday (April 1) against the Spokane Chiefs. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. from Sandman Centre.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Blazers, Fraser Minten (19) from Matthew Seminoff and Connor Levis, 2:29

2-0, Blazers, Caedan Bankier (17) from Logan Stankoven, 5:07

3-0, Blazers, Logan Stankoven (39) from Mats Lindgren and Ethan Rowland, 6:21

4-0, Blazers, Logan Stankoven 2 (40) unassisted, 16:44

5-0, Blazers, Daylan Kuefler (36) from Drew Englot and Reese Belton, 17:00

Second Period

6-0, Blazers, Matthew Seminoff (25) from Mats Lindgren and Fraser Minten, 3:05

6-1, Cougars, Koehn Ziemmer (30) from Keaton Dowhankiuk, 3:54

6-2, Cougars, Riley Heidt (19) from Koehn Ziemmer from Keaton Dowhaniuk, 11:42

Third Period

7-2, Blazers, Caedan Bankier 2 (18) from Logan Stankoven and Dylan Garand, 0:42

8-2, Blazers, Drew Englot (12) from Logan Bairos and Viktor Persson (power play), 13:25

Goaltending

Dylan Garand (W), Blazers, 31 saves on 33 shots in 60 minutes played.

Tyler Brennan (L), Cougars, five saves on eight shots in six minutes played.

Ty Young, Cougars, 27 saves on 32 shots in 54 minutes played.