Blazers look to nip lapses and exercise discipline

The Blazers have been in most of those seven straight losses, at least for a while. Short breakdowns have been costly breakdowns, like last week against Vancouver, holding a 3-1 lead until giving up two goals in the final two and a half minutes and then losing in a shootout.

And discipline. In Everett, trailing 3-1 and still in it, until a major penalty that saw the Silvertips score three times, one of their five power play goals in the game.

“I think that’s part of that maturation process that this group has to go through,” says head coach Serge Lajoie. “I’d like to look at it as these guys care, and they care so much to the point that they let their emotions get the best of them. We’ve got to really eliminate those brain farts, and I think that comes with continuing to work on how we need to play. We do a lot of good things that are going to prove beneficial to us in the future.”

Losing Jermaine Loewen to a four-game suspension has hurt. He’s their captain, their leader, a power forward who other teams fear because of his presence. During his absence — three games and most of a fourth — the Blazers have been outscored 25-11.

“Jermaine plays such a big part for us from a leadership standpoint and also style of play and the energy he brings,” says Lajoie. “Again that’s short term, and I look at it long term that it’s an opportunity for another player to step in, develoe some confidence, develop his game.”

One of those players against Swift Current tomorrow night will be 15-year-old Logan Stankoven, called up from major midget.

Stankoven should bring some much needed depth to a struggling team, if only for one game.

“Our depth has been challenged,” says Lajoie. “But I firmly believe and I trust that what we have in that dressing room is all we need to continue to improve, move forward and show everybody else in the league and the fans in Kamloops that we have a good team here.”

No better time for a team like Swift Current coming to town as the Blazers try and clear the hump.

The Broncos trail the league with just one win in 10 games, and have lost the first two games of their B.C. road trip.

by Earl Seitz

Blazers look to nip lapses and exercise discipline

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