By Adam Donnelly

Blazers optimism mixed with caution

Oct 31, 2018 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — For the Kamloops Blazers, under new management and with a new coaching staff, the start of the season got off to a rocky start.

Two wins against Kelowna were followed by seven straight losses.

But things have turned around over the last two weeks, with four straight wins — and they’re finding the net.

Outscored by a two-to-one margin the second losses, the Blazers have outscored their oppontents 23-9 in the four wins, with five or more goals in three of those games.

On the eve of November it’s hard to believe that the Kamloops Blazers season is already 20 per cent complete (68-game season).

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With a seven-game losing streak spanning games three through nine, the boys in blue and orange have turned things around in late October and have been winners of their last four in a row.

“Definitely it’s rewarding — we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves and get too excited,” cautions head coach Serge Lajoie, “but we’re definitely on the right path so it feels good for the morale, it’s encouraging going into a week of practice before we play Brandon.” (Friday).

The Blazers had a big weekend in the U.S. Division, bringing three wins back across the border, including a pair in Portland. A big part of that success was the return of their captain, Jermaine Loewen, who had seven points in a three-game set, including a hat trick against the Winterhawks on Saturday.

“He brings a lot offensively, he brings a lot in terms of creating space, in terms of playing the game the right way,” says Serge Lajoie. 

“Just kind of be there with the guys,” says Loewen.  “Being in the mix was awesome — being a leader and going out there and battling with them. It’s different than being up in the stands where you can say the stuff, but you’re not there with them.”   

Loewen served a four-game league suspension before returning for the three weekend games.

Zane Franklin has been the most consistent Blazers forward all year, and maintained his production over last weekend, scoring a hat trick of his own against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.

“Both those teams (Seattle and Portland) are good opponents,” says Franklin. “They were a really good test for us. I think we just kept building off each game. It was good to have a good game Friday — I think we played awesome all three games.”

With those four victories in a row under the Blazers belts, and the seven games of futility a distant memory, head coach Serge Lajoie says it’s important to keep things in perspective for his young players moving forward.

“Consistency is key in this league,” says Lajoie. “A lot of ups and downs and not to get too far ahead of ourselves, and get too caught up in the highs and lows. So from our standpoint, from a coaching staff’s standpoint, we have to remain even-keeled.”

It’s a message that seems to be filtering down to the players.

“When you go through downs, you’re bound to have success in the long haul,” says Jermaine Loewen.

The Blazers host the Brandon Wheat Kings Friday night at the Sandman Centre.