Image credit: Twitter/@WHLGiants

By Aaron Schulze

Blazers 6 Giants 0

Blazers blank Giants 6-0, advance to conference final

May 16, 2022 | 5:25 AM

KAMLOOPS — It took an extra road trip to Langley to seal the deal, but the Kamloops Blazers punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals in the 2022 Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs.

After dropping a tight 3-2 result in Game Five of the second-round WHL playoffs series in Kamloops, the Blazers shut out the Vancouver Giants 6-0 on the road Sunday (May 15) to win the best-of-seven series 4-2.

Fraser Minten opened the scoring for the Blazers six minutes on a shorthanded breakaway before Luke Toporowski finished a one-timer from the right circle at the halfway mark of the first period.

Leading 2-0 heading into the second, the Blazers didn’t let their foot off the gas, outshooting the Giants 15-4 and outscoring them 2-0 in the middle frame. Daylan Kuefler pounced on a puck that deflected off the end boards and Logan Stankoven jammed the puck in on the power play.

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The Blazers added two more en route to their 6-0 win. Goaltender Dylan Garand made 24 saves for his third shutout of the playoffs.

Game One of the WHL Western Conference Finals takes place Friday (May 20) at Sandman Centre. The Blazers will play the winner of the other second-round west playoff series: the Portland Winterhawks or the Seattle Thunderbirds.

It’s the first time the Blazers have advanced to the Western Conference Finals since 2013.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Blazers, Fraser Minten (5) unassisted (shorthanded), 6:06

2-0, Blazers, Luke Toporowski (8) from Logan Stankoven and Quinn Schmiemann, 10:27

Second Period

3-0, Blazers, Daylan Kuefler (4) unassisted, 12:03

4-0, Blazers, Logan Stankoven (10) from Daylan Kuefler and Luke Toporowski (power play), 13:07

Third Period

5-0, Blazers, Luke Toporowski 2 (9) from Quinn Schmiemann (power play), 1:05

6-0, Blazers, Caedan Bankier (5) from Daylan Kuefler and Reese Belton, 12:30

Goaltending

Dylan Garand (W), Blazers, 24 saves on 24 shots in 60 minutes played.

Jesper Vikman (L), Giants, 30 saves on 36 shots in 60 minutes played.