(Image Credit: Allen Douglas / Kamloops Blazers Twitter)
STANKOVEN'S SCORING SEASON

Stankoven reflects on 100-point season going into WHL playoffs

Apr 14, 2022 | 4:53 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Blazers captain Logan Stankoven is lighting the league on fire.

Stankoven hit a special milestone this year notching his 100th point of the season.

Hitting the 100-point plateau is good for third in the league in scoring with 102 points. All while playing 10 fewer games than the league leader, Red Deer’s Arshdeep Bains, who currently sits at 110 points.

“You know, not many guys reach that milestone and obviously I’m pretty thankful that I’ve had great teammates and linemates around me this season and to help me reach that goal,” Stankoven says, “It’s obviously not something that I had set for the beginning of the season I just didn’t know how the season was going to go. But I think things have really clicked as of late. And like I said, I couldn’t do it without my teammates so it’s been a fun year so far.”

Reaching the century mark these days is a rare feat, as Stankoven is the first Blazer to reach 100 points since Colin Smith in 2012-13.

“Coming from Kamloops, being a hometown kid, I think I had season tickets back in the day” he says, “If not, then I know I went to a whole [number] of games when I was a kid, so guys like Brendan Ranford, Colin Smith, Cole Ully, Dylan Willick, I think he was the captain back in the day. That’s just a handful of guys I remember watching growing up as a kid.”

With a 12-game-point streak, scoring at least two points in eight straight, Stankoven was welcomed into the Blazers’ 100-point club. He’s averaging just under two points a game over the year.

Head coach Shaun Clouston says Stankoven’s season is one of the many bright spots this year.

“The most impressive thing that makes it even more impressive is that he’s done it in a shorter number of games. It’s not like 72 games in the old days, it’s not even 68 – he missed a bunch of games with the World Juniors,” explains Clouston, “So yeah it’s been quite remarkable to watch him, watch his progression, as he finds ways to get better.”

As this year was something to admire, Stankoven says he’s more focused on the playoffs.

“Last couple games before playoffs we want to be playing our best hockey going into the first round,” said Stankoven.

“It’s kind of coming down to the wire with the last few teams fighting for playoff spots. So I mean obviously we’ll have a week in between games and until the playoffs start, so we’ll be ready for whoever we’re matched up against.”

The Blazers finish the regular season against Prince George on Friday (Apr. 15) and Vancouver on Saturday (Apr. 16). Both teams are opponents Kamloops could see in the playoffs. The Giants, Cougars, Victoria Royals, and Spokane Chiefs are all separated by two points.

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM at the Sandman Centre for both weekend matchups.