For the Reporter
The Kamloops Blazers defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 in overtime Saturday night at the ShoWare Center.
Seattle outshot Kamloops 14-5 in a fast-moving first period.
The Blazers went in front 1-0 at 3:34 of the second period. Deven Sideroff got behind the Seattle defense on a pass from Cole Ully. Seattle goalie Taran Kozun came out of the net to stop the breakaway. Kozun made the save but the puck rebounded off a T-Bird defenseman and into the net.
Kamloops (7-5-1-0) extended the lead to 2-0 at 10:09 of the second. Logan McVeigh broke up a Seattle clearing attempt at the left blue line. Patrik Maier got the puck at the left point and put a shot on goal. Kozun was moving to his left to make the save and Maier’s shot hit a T-Birds’ defenseman and caught Kozun going the wrong way.
Seattle (4-5-1-1) quickly cut the lead to one at 10:32 of the second. Donovan Neuls centered the puck from the left corner to Nolan Volcan in the slot. Volcan beat Kamloops’ goalie Connor Ingram with a slap shot for his first goal as a T-Bird.
The Blazers got the two-goal lead back at 11:01 of the second when Matt Needham scored a power-play goal. Ully and Michael Fora had the assists.
The T-Birds scored two goals in 40 seconds to tie the game 3-3. On the power play Scott Eansor took a shot from the left circle with Neuls in front of Ingram. Neuls tipped Eansor’s shot which hit the top of Ingram’s glove and plopped into the net. Lane Pederson had the second assist which came at 15:54 of the second.
Mathew Barzal tied the game on a two-on-one break with Ryan Gropp. Justin Hickman moved the puck up the right wing to Barzal. Barzal entered the Kamloops’ zone, looked at Gropp and elected to shoot. Barzal’s shot hit Ingram up high, possibly catching the lower part of the goalie’s mask, and rebounded high over the goalie and into the net. Jerret Smith had the second assist.
Kamloops outshot Seattle 13-10 in the second period but Seattle led 24-18 in total shots after two periods.
The Blazers took the lead back at 2:49 of the third period on a power-play goal from Collin Shirley. Ully fed Shirley in the slot where he was able to beat Kozun. Josh Connolly had the second assist.
Seattle tied the game shorthanded at 16:10 of the third. Jared Hauf sent the puck from the left point to Keegan Kolesar at the right point. Kolesar wristed the puck on net. Kolesar’s shot hit the glove of a Kamloops’ defenseman and ricocheted into the net for the tying goal. Ingram had gone down to stop the shot and was caught by the deflection.
Kamloops outshot Seattle 11-5 in the third period and both teams had 29 shots on goal after regulation.
Ryan Rehill banged in a rebound with 16 seconds left in overtime to get the Blazers the win. Ully and Needham had the assists.
Both teams had three shot in overtime and 32 shots on goal in the game.
Kozun stopped 27 of 32 shots and his record is now 4-3-1-1.
Ingram got his first win of the season and by stopped 28 of 32 shots.
The T-Birds’ next game is 7:35 p.m. Friday against the Spokane Chiefs at the ShoWare Center.
Tickets are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – No scoring. Penalties – Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Volcan), 1:34. Winther, Kam (roughing), 19:46. Rehill, Kam (roughing), 20:00. Hickman, Sea (roughing), 20:00.
Second period – 1, Kamloops, Sideroff 5 (Ully, Chyzowski), 3:34. 2, Kamloops, Maier 1 (McVeigh), 10:09. 2, Seattle, Volcan 1 (Neuls), 10:32. 4, Kamloops, Needham 6 (Ully, Fora), 11:01 (pp). 5, Seattle, Neuls 2 (Eansor, Pederson), 15:54 (pp). 6, Seattle, Barzal 5 (Hickman, Smith), 16:34. Penalties – Clouston, Kam (slashing), 4:40. Neuls, Sea (tripping), 10:44. Ully, Kam (boarding), 15:26. Needham, Kam (charging), 17:43. Eansor, Sea (cross checking), 18:35.
Third period – 7, Kamloops, Shirley 3 (Ully, Connolly), 2:49 (pp). 8, Seattle, Kolesar 4 (Hauf), 16:10 (sh). Penalties – Baltram, Sea (tripping), 2:23. Fora, Kam (tripping), 7:54.
Overtime – 9, Kamloops, Rehill 1 (Ully, Needham), 4:46. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 14-10-5-3 32, Kamloops 5-13-11-3 32. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 32 shots-27 saves (4-3-1-1); Kamloops, Ingram 32-28 (1-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-5; Kamloops 2-5. A – 3,450. Referees – Dexter Rasmussen, Chris Schlenker. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Al Creigh.
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