Logan Stankoven in action against the Red Deer Rebels on Feb. 17, 2023. (Photo via Troy Gillard)
Kyle Masters scored the game winner against his former team as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Red Deer Rebels 7-4 to begin a six-game Central Division road trip.
The Blazers also got goals from Connor Levis, Olen Zellweger, Caedan Bankier, Matthew Seminoff, Daylan Kuefler, and Logan Bairos Friday night to extend their winning streak to seven games.
“Yeah, it was a great team win. I think we just played to our identity, I think that was a full 60 minutes by everyone,” Masters said, post game.
Ben King, Carson Birnie, Kai Uchacz, and Jhett Larson scored for the Rebels.
Goals from Levis, Zellweger, and Bankier had the Blazers up 3-0 on the scoreboard and 21-4 on the shot clock after the first period at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
Zellweger ➡️ Stankoven ➡️ Zellweger ➡️ Goal. @blazerhockey | @AnaheimDucks | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/Op3J9HZ4lA
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 18, 2023
Seminoff and King traded goals to put the Blazers up 4-1 midway through the second, before Rebels’ goals from Birnie, Uchacz, and Larson in a 7:40 span had the game evenly poised at 4-4 after 40 minutes of action.
Masters, acquired in the summer in a trade for Mats Lindgren, and Kuefler, a Stettler, Alta. native, scored powerplay markers early in the third before Bairos put the icing on the cake midway through the period.
“Yeah, it was all Matthew Seminoff’s screen so I think that’s all that needs to be said on that one,” Masters said, of his goal. “We have a lot of hockey coming up and its always good to start with a win.”
Kyle Masters lights the lamp against his former club!@blazerhockey | @Rebelshockey pic.twitter.com/3Q8lacX2E0
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 18, 2023
Welcome back to Alberta, Daylan Kuefler.
The Stettler, Alta., native scores in his home province!@blazerhockey | @NYIslanders pic.twitter.com/SjvYQQ8LfP
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 18, 2023
Logan Stankoven had three assists on the night to extend his point streak to 35 games, tying Regina’s Connor Bedard for the longest streak this season.
Stankoven, Zellweger, and Levis combined for 10 points on the night while Masters, Bankier, and Fraser Minten finished with two point nights of their own.
Dylan Ernst stopped 23 of 27 shots to earn his WHL-leading 29th win of the season. Kyle Kelsey stopped 35 shots for the Rebels in a losing effort.
The Blazers scored on four of five power play opportunities while the Rebels converted one of their two chances on the night.
Good win to open up the trip. PP was hot. 4/5. Big cheer for Kuefler’s 3rd period goal.
Zellweger a 4pt game. Stankoven with 3A to run point streak to 35 games. WHL record is 56 in a row.— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) February 18, 2023
Next up for the Blazers is a game against the Calgary Hitmen on Sunday, before a Family Day game against the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rogers Arena.
They will also play games in Swift Current, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat, before their next home game against the Kelowna Rockets on Friday, March 3.
