The Kamloops Blazers are WHL BC Division Champions for the second successive season.
Kamloops improved to a 16-4 record with a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Giants tonight. It gives the Blazers an 0.800 points-per-game (PPG) percentage with two games to go.
If the Blazers were to lose both those games, the worst they can drop to is a 0.727 PPG.
The Kelowna Rockets, currently second in the division with a 0.654 PPG, can only improve to 0.719 PPG if they win their remaining three games. Through 13 games, the Rockets have an 8-4-1 record.
While Kamloops, Vancouver, Prince George, and Victoria will each play 22 games this season, Kelowna will only play 16 because of their two week long COVID-19 shutdown last month.
On Thursday, the WHL said it would use the points-per-game percentage to determine the winner of the BC, Central, and U.S. Division because of an uneven number of games due to COVID-19 related cancellations.
“Just really proud of the guys. Obviously, it was an incredibly tough season but our older guys did a tremendous job setting the bar high, helping the younger guys along,” Blazers head coach Shaun Clouston said.
“We had to fight through some adversity. We had [Logan Stankoven] go and win a gold medal and we had to have guys step up. We lost [captain Connor Zary to injury] and we had to have more guys step up, so I’m really proud of everybody. Our backend was solid, our young guys chipped in and it was just really a great season.”
Last season, the Kamloops Blazers were the only WHL team to clinch a Division Title before play was halted across the Canadian Hockey League on March 12 due to COVID-19.
Fraser Minten and Dylan Sydor put the Blazers up 2-0 after the first period against Vancouver with goals 34 seconds apart midway through the period. Caedan Bankier then made it 3-0 Kamloops early in the third before Justin Sourdif pulled one back midway through the period.
Dylan Garand was named first star on the night with a 20 save performance to take the win. Giants goalie Trent Miner was the second star for his 30 save effort. Blazers defenceman Montana Onyebuchi was the third star on the night.
The Blazers play their final road game of the season against the Kelowna Rockets on Monday before finishing off the 2020-21 season on home ice against the Prince George Cougars on Wednesday.
You can catch both those games on Radio NL with the Kamloops Insurance pre-game show beginning at 6:30 p.m.
There will be no playoffs or Memorial Cup for the second straight season due to COVID-19. Details on the 2021-22 WHL season and the 2022 Memorial Cup will be announced at a later date.
(Photo via Kamloops Blazers)
Blazers beat Vancouver 3-1… and improve to 16-4. They can’t be touched now mathematically. That’s a BC Division title for the 22 game season. A lot of adversity this year…. but these guys found a way. #Kamloops
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) May 9, 2021
WHL, come on down to Kamloops Wednesday night and don’t forget to bring that 🏆! https://t.co/Fn9EVlutn5
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) May 9, 2021
Your Kamloops Blazers have done it again!! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/qqiSvpAijB
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) May 9, 2021