The Kamloops Blazers score five unanswered goals in the third period Friday night to break open a tie game and take a 7-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds at the Interior Savings Centre.
The T-Birds face the Everett Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at ShoWare Center. The Silvertips are 1-3-0-1, and this is the first meeting of the year between the teams.
Kamloops (4-0-0-1) took a 1-0 lead at 12:51 of the first period on a power-play goal by Colin Smith. J.C. Lipon and Brendan Ranford had the assists.
Kamloops outshot Seattle 15-6 in the first period.
Seattle (2-3-0-0) got on the board at 7:42 of the second on a power-play goal from Connor Honey. Shea Theodore moved the puck up ice and got it to Honey in the left circle. Honey spun towards the slot and put a wrist shot on goal. Honey’s shot beat Kamloops goalie Cole Cheveldave over the glove for his first goal of the year.
The T-Birds were awarded a penalty shot at 17:49 of the second when the referees ruled Kamloops covered the puck in their crease. Honey took the penalty shot but was stopped by Cheveldave.
Seattle outshot Kamloops 12-11 in the second period but the Blazers led in shots 26-18 after 40 minutes.
The T-Birds tied it up 2-2 39 seconds into the third period. Jerret Smith moved the puck from the Seattle zone to Jesse Forsberg who carried it up the left wing. Forsberg put a shot on goal from the bottom of the left circle with Honey crashing the net. Honey redirected the puck past Cheveldave for his second goal of the night.
Kamloops took the lead back at 4:28 of the third on a goal from DePape. Ranford and Willick were credited with the assists.
Willick made it a 4-2 lead for Kamloops when he scored at 7:22 of the third. Ranford and Lipon had the assists.
Kamloops went in front 5-2 on a power-play goal by Lipon. Bozon and Ranford had the assists.
Ranford scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 14:48 of the third to give the Blazers a 6-2 lead. The goal was unassisted.
Bozon capped the scoring for Kamloops at 16:02 of the third on assists from Lipon and Marek Hrbas.
Kamloops outshot Seattle 9-6 in the third period and 35-24 in the game.
Seattle goalie Brandon Glover (2-2-0-0) stopped 28 of 35 shots he faced. He was replaced by Justin Myles in goal after Kamloops seventh goal. Myles did not face a shot.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Kamloops, Smith 3 (Lipon, Ranford), 12:51 (pp). 2, Kamloops, Willick 2 (DePape), 15:04. Penalties – Delnov, Sea (tripping), 12:29. Swenson, Sea (cross checking),
Second period – 3, Seattle, Honey 1 (Theodore), 7:42 (pp). Missed Penalty Shot – Honey, Sea, 17:49. Penalties – Cross, Kam (tripping), :45. Connolly, Kam (double minor-high sticking), 3:46. Swenson, Sea (hooking), 3:52. Gaudet, Kam (closing hand on puck), 17:49.
Third period – 4, Seattle, Honey 2 (Forsberg, Smith), :39. 5, Kamloops, DePape 1 (Ranford, Willick), 4:28. 6, Kamloops, Willick 3 (Ranford, Lipon), 7:22. 7, Kamloops, Lipon 1 (Bozon, Ranford), 12: 46 (pp). 8, Kamloops, Ranford 1, 14:48 (sh). 9, Kamloops, Bozon 4 (Lipon, Hrbas), 16:02. Penalties – Wolf, Sea (hooking), 12:24. Macklin, Kam (interference), 12:56. Elliot, Sea (major-fighting), 18:45. Trzonkowski, Kam (major-fighting), 18:45. Forsberg, Sea (roughing), 18:45. Macklin, Kam (roughing), 18:45.
Shots on goal – Seattle 6-12-6 23, Kamloops 15-11-9 35. Goalies – Seattle, Glover 35 shots-28 saves (2-2-0-0), Myles 0-0; Kamloops, Cheveldave 24-22 (2-0-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Kamloops 2-3. A – 4,506. Referee – Kevin Bennett, Matt Thurston. Linesmen – Riley Balson, Kris Hartley.
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