Photo Credits: Facebook / Kamloops Blazers

By Noah Rishaug

WHL Playoffs

Blazers defeat Giants in dominant game 2 performance.

Apr 2, 2023 | 8:11 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers played the Vancouver Giants Saturday night at the Sandman centre, in the second game of the playoff series coming away with a 6-1 victory. This follows Friday’s 8-0 victory against the Giants for what has been a one-sided series.

The first period started with five minutes of back-and-forth play with equal chances from both sides. Five minutes in Ryan Hofer managed to get the first one through during a battle in front of the net. assisted by Jakub Demek, and Ashton Ferster. Twenty seconds of play later, what would turn out to be the game-winning goal would be scored the same way by Olen Zelwegger, assisted by Logan Stankhoven, and Caden Bankier. This would be one of three Stankhoven assists from the game. The first period ended with the Blazers outshooting the Giants by over three times, with a score of 2-0.

The second period started with a Kamloops powerplay, which the Blazers were quick to take advantage of. 40 seconds into the period the puck came loose from the slot in front of the Giants’ net, where it was blasted in from the faceoff circle by Caden Bankier. The remaining nineteen-and-a-half minutes went scoreless, and the Giants were able to close the shot gap to half of the Blazers. The period ended with a 3-0 score.

The third period was the most intense of the game, with more goals than the previous two combined. Emotions ran high, and referees frequently had to break players up. Six minutes in, Daylan Kuefer tipped a shot from Olen Zelwegger into the net, bringing the score to 4-0. Less than a minute later Dylan Sydor would sink one with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle.

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An Ashton Fersting penalty would put the Giants on the powerplay, where Samuel Honzek would score their night’s first goal twelve minutes into the third. The Blazers were quick to respond, eleven seconds of play later the Blazers would score their final goal of the night, with Emmitt Finnie. Finalizing the score at 6-1 for the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers had outshot the Giants 55 to 26. Maintaining a 2:1 shot ratio for nearly the entire game. Game 3 of the series will take place in Vancouver, on April 4th.