Blazers defeat T-Birds 3-2 in Kamloops

The Kamloops Blazers defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 Wednesday night at the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Kamloops (24-24-1-4) took a 1-0 lead at 1:46 of the first period on a goal by Linden Saip. Scott Wasden and Seth Compton had assists on the goal.

Kamloops outshot Seattle 12-6 in the first period.

Seattle (21-26-1-3) tied the game 1-1 at 10:15 of the second period on an end-to-end rush from Jim O’Brien. O’Brien gathered the puck in the left circle in the Seattle zone and headed up ice along the left boards. O’Brien deked around a Kamloops defender at center ice and then another defender just inside the Kamloops blue line. O’Brien, a right hand shot, used his body to shield the puck from a third Blazers defender as he cut to the net with the puck on his backhand. O’Brien beat Kamloops goalie Justin Leclerc through the legs for his 16th goal of the year. Stefan Warg had the only assist on the goal.

Compton scored for the Blazers at 15:01 of the second to give the Blazers a 2-1 lead. Colin Smith had the only assist on the goal.

The T-Birds tied the game 2-2 at 16:27 of the second on a power-play goal by O’Brien. Thomas Hickey had the puck at the left point. He sent the puck across the blue line to Greg Scott at right point. Scott sent the puck low to O’Brien at the left of the goal on the goal line. O’Brien beat Leclerc with a quick shot from a sharp angle for his second goal of the night.

Seattle outshot Kamloops 13-6 in the second period and led 19-8 in total shots after two periods.

Brendan Ranford scored a power-play goal at 2:13 of the third period to put the Blazers in front 3-2. Zak Stebner had the only assist on the goal.

The T-Birds outshot the Blazers 11-10 in the third period and 30-28 in the game.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 25 saves on 28 shots and his record is now 11-10-1-3.

Leclerc stopped 28 of 30 shots and his record is now 20-17-1-3.

The T-Birds take on the Everett Silvertips on Friday, January 30, at Comcast Arena in Everett. They are at home to face the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday, January 31, at 7:05 p.m. at ShoWare Center.

T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Kamloops, Saip 2 (Wasden, Compton), 1:46. Penalties – Torbohm, Kam (cross checking), 3:45. Chaffin, Sea (roughing), 7:36. Kulchar, Kam (roughing), 11:47. Cloud, Sea (roughing), 11:47. LeBlanc, Sea (roughing), 11:47. Rai, Sea (hooking), 13:52. Kam (slashing), 17:45.

Second period – 2, Seattle, O’Brien 16 (Warg), 10:15. 3, Kamloops, Compton 8 (Smith), 15:01. 4, Seattle, O’Brien (Scott, Hickey), 16:27 (pp). Penalties – Caron, Kam (major-fighting), :11. Cloud, Sea (major-fighting), :11. Stebner, Kam (slashing), 3:17. Lund, Sea (slashing), 6:31. Torbohm, Kam (interference), 12:33. Kulchar, Kam (hooking), 15:58. LeBlanc, Sea (high-sticking), 16:54.

Third period – 5, Kamloops, Ranford 9 (Stebner), 2:13 (pp). Penalties – Hickey, Sea (tripping), :30. LeBlanc, Sea (major-fighting), 9:20. Caron, Kam (major-fighting), 9:20. Dulle, Kam (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:21. Acolatse, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:21. Kulchar, Kam (interference), 10:47. Warg, Sea (high-sticking), 15:15. O’Brien, Sea (high-sticking), 19:22.

Shots on goal – Seattle 6-13-11 30. Kamloops 12-6-10 28. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 28 shots-25 saves (11-10-1-3); Kamloops, Leclerc 30-28 (20-17-1-3). Power plays – Seattle 1-6; Kamloops 1-8. A – 4,317. Referee – Trevor Hanson, Colby Smith. Linesmen – Ryan Dawson, Kris Hartley.