Image credit: CFJC Today/Josh Kelly

By Marty Hastings

ON THE ICE

Kelly making impact for Blazers, who hit the road this weekend

Feb 19, 2025 | 4:37 PM

KAMLOOPS — From popcorn row to the first line, Kamloops Blazers’ forward Josh Kelly is making the most of his opportunity.

“It feels good, but you’ve got to keep working,” said Kelly, who has three goals and six points in his last seven games. “Nothing is given to you, so you’ve just got to keep going.”

Injuries paved the way for Kelly’s addition to the lineup and the 6-foot-2, 194-pound left shot is bringing physical gumption to a line that includes power-play guru Jordan Keller and NHL draft prospect Tommy Lafreniere.

“It’s taken a while, but it appears as though Josh is kind of ready for the opportunity this time,” Blazers Head Coach and General Manager Shaun Clouston said. “He’s been healthy scratched as much as he’s played this year. Recently, because of the injuries, he’s had to play and had an opportunity on basically our top line to try to add an element to that line and he’s doing a good job adding that element.”

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The Blazers will leave Kamloops on Thursday (Feb. 20) and are scheduled to play the Hurricanes on Friday in Lethbridge and the Tigers on Saturday in Medicine Hat.

Blazers’ captain and leading scorer Emmitt Finnie remains sidelined with an upper body injury.

“He feels like he could play,” Clouston said of Finnie. “With the injury, we have to be certain. He’s not available this weekend. [He could] potentially start return to play next week, but that’s not 100 per cent. There is lots of discussion with doctors and you have to get to the point where everybody feels comfortable that he’s good to have contact. He’s skating hard.”

Blazers’ goaltender Dylan Ernst has recovered from an injury and is cleared to play this weekend.

Logan Edmonstone carried the load between the pipes while Ernst was sidelined.

“It’s one thing to come in and out when you’ve got a No. 1 guy carrying the workload,” Clouston said. “It’s completely different when you all of a sudden become the de facto No. 1 guy. He’s done a terrific job of working through that. He played some great hockey and was part of the success against Kelowna on the weekend.”

The Seattle Thunderbirds (22-29-2-1) are holding the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with a three-point lead on the Blazers (20-30-4-0), four-point lead on the Wenatchee Wild (18-29-6-1) and nine-point lead on the last-place Rockets (16-32-4-2).

Medicine Hat is first and Lethbridge is fourth in Eastern Conference standings.

“The focus is to get two wins,” Kelly said of the upcoming road trip.

“I think I bring a lot of physicality, getting pucks deep, letting my linemates do all the skill work and I just get to the net and tap a few home.”