Image Credit: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

By Adam Donnelly

BLAZER HOCKEY IS BACK!

Welcome back! Blazers ready for fans ahead of preseason play against PG

Sep 16, 2021 | 4:23 PM

KAMLOOPS — March 6th, 2020, was the last time the Blazers scored a goal in front of fans at the Sandman Centre. Connor Zary potted an empty-netter late in a 6-3 win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. It was the last goal the Blazers scored in front of their home fans in a season full of promise.

“It was heartbreaking that we couldn’t have playoffs because we thought we were going to go on a run that year,” forward Reese Belton says. “We thought we had a chance at going to the Memorial Cup, so that was tough, not being able to have playoffs.”

Belton was a 16-year-old that season, just starting his WHL career. Now, he’s heading into his third year in the league and is one of the veterans on a young team — many of whom have yet to play in front of a raucous home crowd.

“It’s kind of the stoppages or after a goal that you really noticed [not havings fans] and you missed it. You missed having that interaction,” Head Coach Shaun Clouston says about playing last year in the WHL’s B.C. Hub. “In general, when the play is going on, you don’t want the players too aware of the crowd, you just want them playing their game. It’s the celebratory moments you really miss.”

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Players like Connor Levis missed out on celebrating with Blazer Nation last year. Opening night against the Vancouver Giants, Levis scored an absolute beauty of a breakaway goal. Only those in the building or watching the webcast were witnesses.

“It definitely wasn’t as loud as I thought it would be, because there wasn’t really anyone in the building,” Levis remembers. “But still, an incredible moment and I was really happy to score in my first game.”

Levis says he and his teammates have been focused on improving on the ice throughout camp, but are all excited to play in Friday’s preseason matchup against Prince George — which will be the first time fans will be welcomed back into the building.

“We have a pretty young team, and everybody’s looking forward to it,” Levis says. “The vets are telling us how exciting it’s going to be, having fans. We haven’t been talking about it too much, but I think we’re all excited.”

“We’ve got tremendous support here, it’s a great hockey town,” Clouston says. “There are lots of passionate fans who haven’t been able to watch us for a while, so even though it’s a preseason game it’ll be a special moment.”

“There’s no better feeling than having a sold-out stands and having a good game — winning a game,” Belton says. “There’s no better feeling in the world. You’re trying to win, but doing it front of 5,000 fans just makes it that much better.”