Jager Gugyelka celebrating his first career WHL goal on Jan. 4, 2025. (image Credit: Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs)

By Victor Kaisar

Chiefs 3 Blazers 2

Gugyelka scores first as a Blazer in defeat to Spokane Chiefs

Jan 5, 2025 | 10:13 AM

SPOKANE, WASH. — Salmon Arm native Nathan Mayes scored what turned out to be the game winner as the Kamloops Blazers fell 3-2 to the Spokane Chiefs Saturday (Jan. 4) evening.

Newest Blazer Jager Gugyelka scored his first career WHL goal on the night, which could have been a lot worse if not for the efforts of 17-year-old Logan Edmonstone, who finished with 40 saves on 43 shots.

Hayden Paupanekis opened the scoring for the Chiefs inside five minutes at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena before Gugyelka’s long-range shot beat Dawson Cowan in the dying seconds of the period.

Kamloops native Jordan Keller also beat Cowan, who finished with 22 saves on 24 shots, with a power play goal early in the second period. The Chiefs though tied things up with about five minutes left in the period after Coco Armstrong scored his first of the season.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Secwepemcul'ew

10h ago

Question of the Week

Are you happy with the way Justin Trudeau is resigning and proroguing parliament to clear the way for a new leader?

11h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Jimmy Carter was one of a kind

Jan 05, 2025

Mayes then scored the game winner in the third after he took the puck at the blue line and deked around John Szabo before firing a shot that beat Edmonstone high on his blocker side to give the Chiefs their second lead of the night.

That goal handed the Blazers their second defeat of the weekend and their third in four games since the WHL’s holiday break. They dropped to 13-20-3-0, and are in 10th place in the Western Conference with 29 points from 36 games.

Spokane improved to 25-13-0-0, and sit in third place in the Western Conference with 50 points from 38 games. They’ve got the second best record in the WHL, but trail the B.C. Division Prince George Cougars in the conference standings.

The Blazers and Chiefs will rematch at 5:05 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 5) afternoon. The Chiefs lead the season series two games to one, with two games left to play.

The Blazers next home game is this Friday, Jan. 10, against the Vancouver Giants.