Daylan Kuefler scoring the game-winner against the Saskatoon Blades on Feb. 10, 2023. (Photo via Allen Douglas)
Birthday boy Daylan Kuefler scored while on his knees to break a 2-2 tie as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Saskatoon Blades 5-2 on Nickelodeon Night at the Sandman Centre.
“I just tried to get past the defender and somehow the puck came back to me and I got a piece of it to put it in,” Kuefler said, post game. “It was a present for sure.”
🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥
He’s a lean, green, scoring machine.@blazerhockey | @NYIslanders | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/2XwREdLirb
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 11, 2023
Olen Zellweger opened the scoring for the Blazers – who were wearing special edition Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jerseys – before a pair of goals from the Trevor Wong and Aidan De La Gorgendiere had the visitors up 2-1 after 20 minutes.
That was all the offense the Blades could muster as goals from Logan Bairos – in the second period – and Kuefler, Fraser Minten, and Matthew Seminoff – in the third period – handed the Blazers their fifth straight win, taking the Memorial Cup hosts to 32-10-4-2 on the season.
This is Fraser Minten in his office 🚨@MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/n82zfNBNrD
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) February 11, 2023
Logan Stankoven had a pair of assists to extend his WHL-leading point streak to 33 games. Connor Levis had a pair of assists as well while Zellweger had an assist on Kuefler’s game-winner to go with his goal.
Dylan Ernst turned aside 25 of 27 shots for his league-leading 28th win of the season, while Ethan Chadwick stopped 32 shots in a losing effort.
The Blazers play one more game at home, Saturday night against the Prince George Cougars, before embarking on a six-game Central Division road trip.
The Cougars, who are second in the B.C. Division with a 24-21-4-0 record, are coming off a 9-2 win in Kelowna Friday.
