(Image Credit: Brian Johnson via Facebook/Kamloops Blazers)
Thunderbirds 4 Blazers 1

Blazers fall to Thunderbirds 4-1, give up ground in WHL playoff race

Mar 4, 2026 | 6:18 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers gave up ground in the Western Hockey League (WHL) playoff race. 


The Blazers fell to the ninth-place Seattle Thunderbirds at home Tuesday (March 4) night 4-1. 

The WHL’s leading goal scorer Cameron Schmidt scored on a breakaway to get the Thunderbirds on the board early in the first period. 

From there, goals would be hard to come by until early in the third period. The Thunderbirds extended their lead to 2-0. 

Cooper Moore would give his Blazers a chance to get back into the game by deflecting Nathan Behm’s shot to make it 2-1 late in the third. 

However, the Thunderbirds would add two empty net goals to secure the 4-1 win. 

The Blazers fall to 26-22-7-5 on the 2025-26 WHL season, good for 64 points in 60 games. The Blazers 2-6-1-1 in their last 10 games. 

Kamloops sits sixth in the WHL Western Conference with eight games remaining in their regular season schedule, six points ahead of the ninth-place Thunderbirds. 

The Blazers continue their five-game homestand Friday (March 6) when they welcome the Victoria Royals to Sandman Centre. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. 

Scoring Summary 

First Period 

1-0, Thunderbirds, Cameron Schmidt (42) from Coster Dunn, 4:20 

Second Period 

No scoring. 

Third Period 

2-0, Thunderbirds, Brennen Hocher (1) from Brock England and Sawyer Mayes, 5:43 

2-1, Blazers, Cooper Moore (10) from Nathan Behm, 13:19 

3-1, Thunderbirds, Cameron Schmidt (43) unassisted (empty net), 18:15 

4-1, Thunderbirds, Sawyer Mayes (16) from Joe Gramer (empty net), 19:14 

Goaltending 

Grayson Malinoski (W), Thunderbirds, 32 saves on 33 shots in 60 minutes played. 

Logan Edmonstone (L), Blazers, 21 saves on 23 shots in 59 minutes played.