(Image credit: Facebook/Kamloops Blazers).
Thunderbirds 6 Blazers 3

Blazers will face Giants in first round playoff series after 6-3 loss to the Thunderbirds

Mar 22, 2023 | 7:53 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers are locked into second place in the Western Hockey League (WHL) Western Conference after a 6-3 loss on the road to the top seed Seattle Thunderbirds Tuesday (March 21).

After surrendering the first goal 34 seconds in, the Blazers responded and took the lead 2-1 after the first period. Ashton Ferster fanned on his first attempt at a bouncing puck in front of Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic but buried the second, then Olen Zellweger scored on the power play with a wrist shot from the near side circle.

However, the Thunderbirds retook the lead and never gave it back thanks to four unanswered goals, with three of them in the second period. Milic also held his end of the bargain with a breakaway stop on Logan Stankoven.

The Blazers would add one more with Zellweger scoring a second goal similar to his first but an empty net goal for the Thunderbirds secured their 6-3 win.

The Blazers, having previously won the B.C. Division, will end up second in the Western Conference. Their record is 47-12-4-2, good for 100 points in 65 games. They’ll welcome the Thunderbirds for a rematch Wednesday (March 22) at Sandman Centre. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Thunderbirds, Nolan Allan (10) from Nico Myatovic and Jared Davidson, 0:34

1-1, Blazers, Ashton Ferster (10) from Emmitt Finnie, 4:38

2-1, Blazers, Olen Zellweger (30) from Caedan Bankier and Logan Stankoven (power play), 12:15

Second Period

2-2, Thunderbirds, Brad Lambert (16) from Kyle Crnkovic and Jeremy Hanzel (power play), 9:27

3-2, Thunderbirds, Jared Davidson (39) from Jeremy Hanzel and Nolan Allan, 13:51

4-2, Thunderbirds, Dylan Guenther (10) from Kevin Korchinski and Lucas Ciona, 15:30

Third Period

5-2, Thunderbirds, Dylan Guenther 2 (11) from Luke Prokop and Sawyer Mynio, 9:34

5-3, Blazers, Olen Zellweger 2 (31) from Caedan Bankier and Logan Stankoven (power play), 18:31

6-3, Thunderbirds, Reid Schaefer (27) from Kyle Crnkovic and Jeremy Hanzel (empty net), 18:50

Goaltending

Thomas Milic (W), Thunderbirds, 34 saves on 37 shots in 60 minutes played.

Dylan Ernst (L), Blazers, 28 saves on 33 shots in 59 minutes.

Playoff matchup set

Following Tuesday’s loss, the Blazers now have their first round WHL playoff matchup set in stone.

As the No. 2 seed, the Blazers will kickoff their best-of-seven series against the No. 7 Vancouver Giants on March 31 from Sandman Centre.

The Giants secured seventh place in the Western Conference Tuesday with a 3-2 overtime win in Portland.