Blazers Week in Review February 14

Blazers Week in Review February 14

Week in Review:
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 vs. Seattle Thunderbirds – 6-1 Win
It was a good outing by the Blazers as they routed the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-1 at home Wednesday night. Dylan Willick opened the scoring for the Blazers 1:17 into the first period set up nicely by Brendan Ranford for a 1-0 Blazers lead. Colin Smith made it 2-0 putting home his 16th of the season as the Blazers were off to a hot start. The Blazers made it 3-0 only 19 seconds later when Josh Caron got his 1st of the year with a snap shot beating goaltender Calvin Pickard. After a timeout, the Thunderbirds regrouped and beat goaltender Jeff Bosch to make it 3-1 with all the scoring coming in the game’s first five minutes. The scoring spree in the first period continued when JC Lipon followed up his own rebound and beat Pickard on a wrap-around to make it 4-1 Blazers. DaliborBortnak scored for the first time in 18 games tapping in a Jordan DePape shot that beat Pickard to make it 5-1 Blazers after 20 minutes of play. The pace slowed down in the second as the Blazers scored the lone goal of the period when Colin Smith set up Bortnak for his second of the game as the Blazers took a 6-1 lead into the final frame. The Blazers kept it simple in the third period as they cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Thunderbirds. Jeff Bosch earned his 20th win of the season with 32 saves, while the Blazers were 1-for-3 on the powerplay and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill in a sparse special team’s game.
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 vs. Vancouver Giants – 3-2 Loss
Brendan Gallagher scored with 2:45 to play to lift the Vancouver Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Blazers in Whitehorse, Yukon. The Blazers opened the scoring when Thomas Frazee's bullet found its way through a bunch of bodies on the powerplay for a 1-0 Blazers lead. Two spirited fights highlighted the first period as ex-teammates Jordan DePape and Darren Bestland squared off and Blazers' forward Ryan Hanes renewed acquaintances with Wes Vannieuwenhuizen. The Giants turned their game around in the second period as Andrej Stastny's rocket went off the cross-bar and in on the powerplay for a 1-1 game. Brendan Gallagher gave the Giants the lead when he walked out from behind the net and beat goaltender Jeff Bosch for a 2-1 Giants lead. Brendan Ranford responded for the Blazers when he jumped on a Jordan DePape rebound and tied the game 2-2 heading into the final period. In the third, the Giants scored the lone goal as Gallagher tipped in his second of the game for a 3-2 win at a sold out Takhini Arena. Both goaltenders played well as Mark Segal earned the win with 26 saves while Jeff Bosch took the loss making 28 saves for the Blazers. The Blazers were 1-for-6 on the powerplay and only 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Whitehorse Experience
It was quite the experience for the Kamloops Blazers to play a game in Whitehorse, Yukon as part of Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday, February 12th. Check out the Blazers website for a collection of VIDEOS. If you haven’t already, go to the Blazers Facebook page to check out pictures taken from the event. You can also go to the Blazers website to find PHOTOS that will be uploaded throughout the week.
Prospects in Halifax for Winter Games
The Kamloops Blazers have three prospects in Halifax for the Canada Winter Games which run from February 11th-28th. Matthew Needham and Josh Connolly are both playing for Team BC who is tied for 1st in a pool with Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Team BC lost 5-4 in overtime to Quebec on Saturday and won 8-3 over Nova Scotia on Sunday. Team BC concludes the round robin with a game against Ontario tonight.
Needham, the Blazers 1st round pick in 2010, has had a good start with a goal and 2 assists in the first two games, while Connolly, the Blazers 3rd round pick in 2010, has an assist for Team BC.
The Blazers 2nd round pick from 2010, Cole Ully, is playing for Team Alberta at the event. Alberta is in a pool with New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and they sit in 1st place with a 4-0 victory over Saskatchewan and a 6-5 win over New Brunswick. Ully has an assist in the two games as they play Manitoba tonight.
Kamloops Blazers Survey
The Blazers are conducting a survey on their website about game experience and many other attributes in regards to the hockey club. We’d encourage you to complete this short survey. You can find it by CLICKING HERE or on the left hand side of the Blazers website.
Off To Alberta
The Blazers will hit the road this week for the longest road trip of the season as they will head to Red Deer on Thursday to prepare for games in Edmonton on Friday and in Red Deer on Saturday. The hockey club will then spend a few days at Circle Square Ranch near Halkirk, Alberta for some team building activities.
The hockey club will then go to Lethbridge for a few days as they prepare for games in Lethbridge on Wednesday, February 23rd, in Medicine Hat on Friday, February 25th and in Kootenay on Saturday, February 26th to conclude the trip.
Injuries Means Cross is in
The Blazers re-called 16-year-old defenseman Landon Cross from the Midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings late last week. Cross played the game in Whitehorse, Yukon against the Vancouver Giants, and will get into three games this week before heading home following the game in Red Deer on February 19th. Cross joined the Blazers because of injuries suffered to defensemen Austin Madaisky (Neck) who is out for the season and Brandon Underwood (Knee) who will miss the next 4-6 weeks. Cross is pointless in 7 games this season with the Blazers.
The hockey club continues to be without their captain, Chase Schaber, who has been out since January 19th with a leg injury. He will be re-evaluated this week, but there is no timeline for a return to the line-up.
Tight Playoff Race
The Kamloops Blazers continue to be in a tight playoff race as they now find themselves in 9th place with 51 points, one point behind the Chilliwack Bruins for the final playoff spot with the Bruins holding three games in hand on the Blazers. The Everett Silvertips are in 7th place with 55 points, while the 10th place Seattle Thunderbirds are still in the thick of the playoff race with 49 points and only 3 points out of a playoff spot.
Tuesday, February 15th vs. Tri-City Americans
Remember that the Blazers final home game of the month will be tomorrow night as they host the Tri-City Americans for the first time this season. The Americans last visit of the season to Kamloops will be on Tuesday, March 8th.
Team Leaders:
Goals – Brendan Ranford (33)
Assists –Brendan Ranford (48)
Points – Brendan Ranford (81)
+/- – Chase Schaber (+7)
Rookies – Corey Fienhage (13)
PIM – Ryan Hanes (141)
GAA – Jeff Bosch (3.35)
SV % – Jeff Bosch (.896)
Injury Report
Chase Schaber, Leg, day-to-day
Brandon Underwood, Knee, 4-6 Weeks
Austin Madaisky, Neck, Out for Season
Community Service
None
Schedule:
Monday, February 14th, Practice 2-4pm, ISC
Tuesday, February 15th, Blazers vs. Tri-City Americans, 7pm ISC
Wednesday, February 9th, Practice 2-4pm, ISC
Thursday, February 10th, Practice 8-9am, Depart for Red Deer
Friday, February 11th, Blazers at Edmonton Oil Kings, 7pm Rexall Place
Saturday, February 12th, Blazers at Red Deer Rebels, 7pm EnmaxCentrium
Sunday, February 13th, Team Building, Circle Square Ranch
Monday, February 14th, Team Building, Depart to Lethbridge

©2011 Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club | 300 Mark Recchi Way | Kamloops BC | V2E 1Z5
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