Image credit: Twitter/Kamloops Blazers/@ADouglasPhotos

By Connor Gunn

BLAZERS 2 COUGARS 4

Blazers fall to Cougars 4-2 as regular-season end approaches

Apr 16, 2022 | 9:33 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers dropped their Friday (April 15) night game against the Prince George Cougars 4-2.

In the second last game of the regular season, the Cougars stunned the Blazers at the Sandman Centre. Prince George guaranteed themselves a tie-break game if they lose their final regular-season game against the Kelowna Rockets and the Spokane Chiefs defeat the Victoria Royals on Saturday.

With 53 points on the season, the Cougars are now tied with the Vancouver Giants for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

For the Blazers, this loss keeps them at 97 points while the Everett Silvertips were crowned as Western Conference champions.

Outshooting the Cougars 45-30 in the game, the Blazers couldn’t bury a late-game goal to tie, which led to an empty-net goal by Prince George’s Caden Brown. Brown forced a turnover inside the final minute of the game near centre ice and put away the game with an empty-net goal with under a minute remaining in the game.

SOUND OFF: How to reduce food waste in Kamloops during the festive season

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 12, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: North Shore BIA working hard to develop a 'happening place'

Cougars goalie Ty Young appeared to be a wall in net in the final period as he stopped 21 shots.

Kamloops will play its final regular-season game Saturday against the Vancouver Giants who, like the Cougars, are fighting for a playoff position.

The Cougars meanwhile, head to Kelowna to take on the Rockets Saturday in their final game of the year.

Game times for both games are set for 7:00 p.m.

First Period

No scoring

Second Period

1-0, Cougars, Riley Heidt (21) from Koehn Ziemmer, 2:28

2-0, Cougars, Connor Bowie (15) from Caden Brown, 5:11

Third Period

1-2, Blazers, Reese Belton (14) from Dylan Sydor and Kobe Verbicky, 4:42

2-2, Blazers, Drew Englot (13) from Caedan Bankier, 7:57

3-2, Cougars, Jonny Hooker (17) from Ryker Singer and Keaton Dowhaniuk, 8:23

4-2, Cougars, Caden Brown (7), 19:35

Goaltending

Dylan Garand (L), Blazers, 26 saves on 29 shots in 58:53 minutes played.

Ty Young (W), Cougars, 43 saves on 45 shots in 60 minutes played.

by Connor Gunn