Blake Swetlikoff had a goal and three assists, but the Kamloops Blazers weren’t able to complete a comeback Wednesday night, as they fell 6-4 to the Portland Winterhawks at Sandman Centre.
The Western Conference leading Winterhawks fired 58 shots on goal, and led 2-0 after the first period following goals by James Stefan and Kyle Chyzowski.
They added another two early in second courtesy Josh Davies and Nate Danielson, before Swetlikoff’s sixth of the season – and fourth as a Blazer – gave the home team a bit of life. Those three goals came within a 24 second stretch inside the first two minutes of the period.
From long range! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/L1MHgorxje
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 7, 2024
Keller, the Kamloops native, brought the Blazers back to within one with a pair of power play goals in the opening minute of the third period. The 18-year-old forward, the reigning WHL Player of the Week, hit the 20 goal plateau on the night, and has 39 points in 39 games as a Blazer.
KELLER FROM HIS OFFICE 👨💼 pic.twitter.com/mhkFIkpEOP
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 7, 2024
QUICK SUCCESSION ⏰ pic.twitter.com/O0LH6PTsCv
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 7, 2024
The Hawks regained a bit of control three minutes later through Hudson Darby, but the Blazers would not quit. Rookie Tommy Lafreniere scored his first at Sandman Centre with a wraparound past an unsuspecting Jan Špunar in the Portland net.
LIKE A NINJA 🥷 pic.twitter.com/Q1jTtmjRxN
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) March 7, 2024
But the Winterhawks would breathe another sigh of relief when Stefan scored his second of the night into an empty net with 1:03 left to play to seal the win, and the four-game season sweep over the Blazers.
Blazers’ starter Jesse Sanche stopped 20 of 24 shots in 25:38 of action while Dylan Ernst – who was credited with the loss – made 28 saves on 29 shots in 33:41 of relief work. Sanche was pulled after Portland’s fourth goal but was called back into the action when Ernst left the game with an apparent injury.
Špunar stopped 23 of 27 Blazers shots to pick up the win in net.
Blazers captain Logan Bairos picked up a pair of assists to hit 100 career WHL points. The Saskatoon native has 22 goals and 79 assists in 214 WHL games with the Blazers.
The Blazers drop to 20-35-3-3 on the season, and remain in last place in the WHL. Portland meanwhile improves to 42-15-2-1, and sit one point ahead of the Prince George Cougars with eight games left to play.
Next up for the Blazers is a pair of games against the Kelowna Rockets, at Prospera Place on Friday night, and at Sandman Centre on Saturday.