Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers

By Victor Kaisar

Blazers 5 Chiefs 4

Blazers ‘bend but don’t break’ as head coach Clouston picks up WHL win number 600

Nov 29, 2025 | 9:18 AM

KAMLOOPS — JP Hurlbert’s 20th goal of the season helped the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-4 win over the Spokane Chiefs Friday (Nov. 29) night at Sandman Centre.

The American forward scored twice to become the first WHL skater to hit the 20 goal mark this season, a feat he achieved in just 26 games. With 47 points, Hurlbert is also well on his way to being the first player to crack the 50 point threshold as well.

Rhett Ravndahl, Tommy Lafreniere, and Josh Evaschesen also scored to give Blazers Head Coach and General Manager Shaun Clouston win number 600 in the WHL.

“We got off to a great start but unfortunately we gave the lead back up at the end of the first,” Clouston said post-game. “We found a way to get a couple more and defend and block shots and get some saves. We bent but didn’t break and so we’ll take it.”

Chase Harrington opened the scoring for the Chiefs inside four minutes at Sandman Centre, but it was the Blazers who scored the next three as Ravndahl, Lafreniere and Evaschesen all found the back of the net in about 13 minute span.

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Lafreniere, the Edmonton Oilers prospect, extended his point streak to 11 games Friday night. He also picked up an assist on Evaschesen’s goal for his ninth multi-point game of the season.

The Chiefs rebounded and made it 3-3 though a pair from Rhett Sather and Owen Martin just 58 seconds apart to conclude a six-goal opening period.

Hurlbert score both of his goals in the second as the Allen, Texas native struck inside the first two minutes and again inside the final two minutes of the period. Natham Behm, who is second in the WHL scoring race with 39 points, assisted both those goals.

The Chiefs pushed back in the final frame as they peppered Ivans Kufterins but the Blazers’ Latvian netminder was up to the task. He only allowed one goal – to Harry Mattern – in the third period as the Blazers hung on for the win.

Kufterins stopped 37 of 40 shots he faced for his fifth WHL win. Linus Vieillard only had to stop 19 of 24 shots he faced in the Chiefs net, though he had to settle for the loss.

The win takes the 12-10-2-2 Blazers to fourth place in the Western Conference with 28 points from 26 games. Spokane is seventh at 12-12 with 24 points.

The Blazers are back in action this evening as they host the 11-7-3-3 Penticton Vees for the very first time. It’s their fourth game of their current five-game home stand, with puck drop scheduled for 6:00 p.m.