Image credit: Facebook/Kamloops Blazers

By Aaron Schulze

Winterhawks 6 Blazers 4

Blazers nearly complete comeback in wild 6-4 loss to Winterhawks

Mar 7, 2024 | 7:16 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers were peppered with 58 shots, trailed 4-0 at one point and nearly came back in a wild 6-4 loss to the Portland Winterhawks from Sandman Centre Wednesday (March 6) night.

Trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Blazers surrendered two goals 16 seconds apart to start the second.

Eight seconds after trailing 4-0, the Blazers got one goal back to give them some sort of life. Blake Swetlikoff’s dump in from beyond the blueline took a deflection and bounced in.

The Blazers capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third period thanks to a Jordan Keller slap shot from the right circle. Keller would tip in his second goal in 16 seconds off the rush to score on the second minor penalty and suddenly, the deficit was cut to 4-3.

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However, a turnover behind their own net led the Blazers to surrendering another goal, giving the Winterhawks more of a cushion in a 5-3 game.

Although the Blazers didn’t quit. Tommy Lafreniere scored on a wraparound get it back to a one-goal game at 5-4,

But the Winterhawks scored the empty net goal from the blueline to seal the 6-4 win.

The Blazers fall to 20-35-3-3 on the 2023-24 Western Hockey League (WHL) season, good for 46 points in 61 games. The Blazers are at the bottom of the overall WHL standings.

Next up for the Blazers is a weekend home-and-home series with the Kelowna Rockets. The brief two-game series begins in Kelowna on Friday (March 8) before it shifts to Sandman Centre on Saturday.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Winterhawks, James Stefan (43) from Gabe Klassen and Nate Danielson (power play), 9:26

2-0, Winterhawks, Kyle Chyzowski (17) from Josh Zakreski and Ryder Thompson, 19:41

Second Period

3-0, Winterhawks, Josh Davies (33) from Jack O’Brien, 1:26

4-0, Winterhawks, Nate Danielson (21) from Gabe Klassen and Marek Alscher, 1:42

4-1, Blazers, Blake Swetlikoff (6) from Logan Bairos, 1:50

Third Period

4-2, Blazers, Jordan Keller (19) from Logan Bairos and Blake Swetlikoff (power play), 0:39

4-3, Blazers, Jordan Keller 2 (20) from Blake Swetlikoff and Emmitt Finnie (power play), 0:55

5-3, Winterhawks, Hudson Darby (8) from Kyle Chyzowski, 4:02

5-4, Blazers, Tommy Lafreniere (2) from Blake Swetlikoff and Nathan Behm, 15:31

6-4, Winterhawks, James Stefan 2 (44) from Ryder Thompsn and Nate Danielson (empty net), 18:57

Goaltending

Jan Spunar (W), Winterhawks, 23 saves on 27 shots in 60 minutes played.

Dylan Ernst (L), Blazers, 28 saves on 29 shots in 34 minutes played.

Jesse Sanche, Blazers, 24 saves on 28 shots in 26 minutes played.