Olen Zellweger is action against the Seattle Thunderbirds on March 7, 2023. (Photo via Brian Liesse)
Olen Zellweger scored twice but the Kamloops Blazers were beaten 6-3 by the Seattle Thunderbirds Tuesday night, setting up a first round playoff series against the Vancouver Giants that will get underway on March 31.
The loss means the Blazers will have to settle for second place in the WHL’s Western Conference with Seattle securing the top seed and a first round playoff series against the Kelowna Rockets.
Nolan Allan opened the scoring for Seattle just 34 seconds into the first period though goals Ashton Ferster and Olen Zellweger had the Blazers up 2-1 after 20 minutes of action.
🚨 FERSTER TIES IT! & what a feed from Finnie! pic.twitter.com/PZGd64BP6a
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 22, 2023
Olen Zellweger scored his 30th goal tonight. He is the 6th WHL Dman to reach 30 since 1996-97, first since 2016-17. 🤯 https://t.co/AsBCMPifNg
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) March 22, 2023
The T-Birds scored four unanswered goals, with three from Brad Lambert, Jared Davidson, and Dylan Guenther in a 6:03 span in the second period, before Guenther scored his second midway through the third period to put Seattle up 5-2.
Zellweger gave the Blazers a fleeting chance with his 31st goal of the season – 21st as a Blazer – with 1:29 left to play.
SNIIIIIIPPPPPEEEE 🔥@AnaheimDucks | @OlenZellweger pic.twitter.com/Q0IlMiHizI
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 22, 2023
That hope was short-lived as Reid Schaefer put the game to bed with an empty net goal just 19 seconds later as Seattle won its fifth game in a row and 18th in the last 19 games.
Zellweger becomes just the sixth WHL defenceman to score at least 30 goals in a season since 1996-97, and the first since Regina’s Connor Hobbs in 2016-17. Former Blazer Raymond Macias achieved the feat in the 2006-07 season.
Logan Stankoven and Caedan Bankier finished with a pair of assists each while Emmitt Finnie extended his career best point streak to seven games with an assist Tuesday night.
Dylan Ernst turned aside 28 of 33 shots to take the loss in the Blazers net, while Thomas Milic made 34 saves on 37 shots – including a breakaway from Stankoven early in the third when the score was 4-2 – for his 26th win of the season.
📽️ SAVE OF THE NIGHT 📽
Milic Magic.@RealCdnSS | @SeattleTbirds | #SaveoftheNight pic.twitter.com/f9lbRzv858
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 22, 2023
The two teams will rematch at Sandman Centre Wednesday night before the Blazers close out the regular season with a home-and-home against the Prince George Cougars.
