A winning start to the 2021 pre-season for the Kamloops Blazers at Sandman Centre.
The Blazers beat the Prince George Cougars 5-3 in front of 1,164 fans Friday night, the first game with fans in the stands in 560 days.
“It was great to be back in our building with some fans,” Head Coach and GM, Shaun Clouston, said. “It was a really exciting night, I think the ending [there was] a little bit of extra excitement but the guys did a really good job.”
“We played hard, I thought we took it over a little bit in the second, PG fought back, but overall we deserved the win.”
Nick McCarry, Mats Lindgren, Logan Bairos, Dylan Sydor, and Connor Levis all scored for Kamloops.
“A really good start with it being our first game,” Lindgren said, post-game.
“I thought we played pretty good but like I said, its the first game, so I think there’s a lot we can improve on but I think it was a really good start for us.”
McCarry and Sydor also had two assists each to finish with three points on the night while Josh Pillar had two assists as well.
“The boys were going the whole game and we started off with a lot of energy so it was nice to get the win,” Sydor added.
Twice the Cougars led through Koehn Ziemmer, who opened the scoring in the first period, and again through Hudson Thornton, who made it 2-1 in the second. The Blazers though tied it late in that period then took control with Bairos’ and Sydor’s goals coming 18 seconds apart early in the third.
Caden Brown scored the other goal for Prince George to make it 4-3 midway through the third.
Both these teams will play again Saturday night in Prince George. Puck drop from the CN Centre is at 7 p.m.
The Blazers next game at home is Friday, Sept. 24, against the Kelowna Rockets, who beat Victoria 7-3 tonight.
Head Coach / GM @ShaunClouston following tonight’s 5-3 WIN! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vzpvtJzRgJ
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) September 18, 2021
Blazers win it 5-3. Shots 45-25. Blazers raise their sticks and get a nice cheer at centre ice. 560 days and the boys are back at the Sandman Centre. #Kamloops
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) September 18, 2021
📸 @ADouglasPhotos pic.twitter.com/UbaqHyD2G2
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) September 18, 2021