(Image credit: Facebook/Kamloops Blazers).

By Aaron Schulze

Blazers 5 Wheat Kings 2

Blazers welcome back Prairie teams with a bang, beat Wheat Kings 5-2

Oct 19, 2022 | 6:59 AM

KAMLOOPS — For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Kamloops Blazers welcomed a Western Hockey League (WHL) team from the Prairies to Sandman Centre.

If Tuesday (Oct. 18) night’s 5-2 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings was a sign of things to come, the Blazers will eagerly welcome more clubs from the flatlands.

Daylan Kuefler opened the scoring for the Blazers late from the nearside hashmarks late in the first period, but the Wheat Kings responded early in the second to make it 1-1.

However, the Blazers responded twice in the second to take a 3-1 lead: Kuefler with a sharp angle shot and Connor Levis with a shot from above the nearside circle.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Donald has it wrong - again

Dec 08, 2024

The Wheat Kings scored another early goal in the third to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Matthew Seminoff batted the puck out of midair to make it 4-2 Kamloops. Ethan Brandwood scored into the empty net shorthanded to secure the 5-2 Blazers win.

The Blazers improved to 5-1-0-1 on the 2022-23 WHL season, good for 11 points in seven games and fourth in the WHL Western Conference. Next up is a Friday (Oct. 21) home game against the top team in the Eastern Conference: the Winnipeg ICE. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. from Sandman Centre.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Blazers, Daylan Kuefler (3) unassisted, 19:40

Second Period

1-1, Wheat Kings, Nate Danielson (2) unassisted, 1:03

2-1, Blazers, Daylan Kuefler 2 (4) from Connor Levis and Logan Stankoven, 11:10

3-1, Blazers, Connor Levis (4) from Kyle Masters, 16:15

Third Period

3-2, Wheat Kings, Logen Hammett (1) from Calder Anderson and Andrei Malyavin, 6:58

4-2, Blazers, Matthew Seminoff (4) from Rylan Pearce and Logan Stankoven, 10:22

5-2, Blazers, Ethan Brandwood (3), unassisted (empty net; shorthanded), 18:42

Goaltending

Dylan Ernst (W), Blazers, 31 saves on 33 shots in 58 minutes played.

Michael Schnattinger, Blazers, one save on one shot in two minutes played.

Carson Bjarnason (L), Wheat Kings, 40 saves on 44 shots in 58 minutes played.