Blazers ready to build on good road effort heading into Games 3 and 4

May 1, 2023 | 4:59 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Saturday night (April 29) in Kent, the Kamloops Blazers experienced a tough 5-1 loss to the Thunderbirds, the first of the 2023 Playoffs.

Sunday’s game proved to be a better effort from the Blazers. However, after Jeremy Hanzel’s game-winner just 6:21 into overtime, the result was the same, and the Blazers come home trailing 2-0 in the series.

“I thought we played a great game in Game 2, a real solid game,” Shaun Clouston, Blazers’ head coach and GM explains. “We did a lot of the things that we wanted to, made improvements over game one. [We need to] just continue on with the improvement process.”

Trailing in the playoffs is uncharted territory for the Blazers, as both teams came into the series undefeated. Seattle still hasn’t lost — but the Blazers plan to push the Thunderbirds a little harder once they step onto Sandman Centre ice.

“We definitely wanted to get the split, but that’s just the way it goes, sometimes,” Blazers captain Logan Stankoven says. “You can’t win them all, and give Seattle credit — they’re a really good team. They capitalized on our mistakes.”

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The Blazers’ high-powered offence was stifled in Game 1, scoring just once on 25 shots. They mustered more shots and goals on Sunday which, according to Olen Zellweger, was a result of the team playing their brand of hockey.

“We kind of got back to our game — played faster, played harder,” Zellweger says. “We’re going to build on that game. We’re going to come out even better tomorrow. We’re really excited for the opportunity. We’ve got to win it, we’ve got to be ready, and we’re excited.”

The Blazers played much of Games 1 and 2 with just five defencemen, after losing Logan Bairos to injury in the first game, and Ryan Micheal in the second. Head Coach Shaun Clouston confirmed neither would suit up for Game 3.

“It’s extremely hard,” Clouston says. “Ryan Nolan has been here for a while. He played the last game of the season for us in PG, so he’ll be activated. Both guys are out tomorrow.”

Game time on Tuesday and Thursday is 7:00 pm at the Sandman Centre.

by Adam Donnelly

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Blazers ready to build on good road effort heading into Games 3 and 4

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