Blazers Open Double Header With A 7-2 Win

By 250 Sports

The Prince George Cougars scored seven seconds into their Friday night game with the Kamloops Blazers at CN Centre.  But the momentum didn't last long and the Blazers scored five first period goals and five power play goals to hand the Cougars a 7-2 loss to start a weekend series in Prince George.

The Cougars returned home after a five game road trip that started with a 3-2 set-back in Kamloops December 5.  Friday's game was the first meeting between the BC Division rivals in Prince George, after the Blazers had taken the first two in Kamloops.  The Cougars were without three key forwards, with Brett Connolly and Parker Stanfield both injured and Marek Viedensky at Slovakia's Under-20 Camp in Prince Albert, SK., getting set for the World Junior Hockey Championship in Saskatoon and Regina beginning on Boxing Day.  Hudson Stremmel returned in goal for the Cats and got an early lead to work with, when Spencer Asuchak got a home town bounce seven ticks into the game.  Dallas Jackson dumped the puck into the Blazers zone, which was mis-played by Blazers starter Jon Groenheyde and capitalized by Asuchak, who put the puck into the open goal for his fourth tally of the season.  But at 2:06, the Blazers got rolling with a power play goal from Brendan Ranford.  Jordan DePape, playing his first game for the Blazers after being acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings earlier in the week, would get a natural hat-trick with goals at 3:46, 8:26 and 17:39.  DePape's second goal ended the night for Stremmel, who left the game with four saves on seven shots.  Alex Wright took over for the Cougars and faced nine shots and two got by him for a 5-1 Blazers lead through 20 minutes.  Zak Stebner also scored for the Blazers, who had three power play goals in the period.

In the second frame, CJ Stretch would get another power play goal at 6:34 for a 6-1 lead.  The Cougars would get a power play goal back at 15:02 when James Dobrowolski banked home a shot along the goal line, off a Kamloops defender for his ninth of the season and sixth power play goal.  Alex Rodgers extended his points streak to four games with an assist and Dallas Jackson tied Marek Viedensky for the Cougars lead in multi-point games with six, also drawing a helper.  The Blazers out-shot Prince George 13-7 in the period and led 29-13 through two frames with a 6-2 lead.

Jimmy Bubnick ended the scoring at 9:47, on the power play, to give Kamloops a 7-2 lead and eventual win, going 3-and-0 against the Cougars this season and improving their record to 14-16-2-3.  The Cougars fall to 6-26-1-1.  Kamloops out-shot the Cougars 12-6 in the third and 41-19 in the game.  The Blazers power play turned out to be the spread in the game, going 5-for-12, the most power play goals allowed by the Cougars while giving up the most attempts in a game this season.  The odd twist of the game saw the Cougars kill two 5-on-3 power plays, which lasted over a minute on both.  The Cats went 1-for-6.  Wright, who took over for Stremmel in goal in the first period, blocked 30 of 34 shots.

The good news for the Cougars is they have to put this loss behind them and get set for another game Saturday night in the Cougars annual Teddy Bear and Toque Toss Night.  When the Cougars score their first goal, fans will litter the ice with stuffed animals and toques, which will be collected by the Salvation Army and RCMP Victim Services, with vehicles provided by Wood Wheaton to help gather all the items off the ice.  Also that night, Prince George Esporta Cleaners will be collecting new and used boots and shoes and taking them to their location to put through the Esporta clean and sanitizing program.  Esporta with then distribute the items to Active Support Against Poverty.

Game time is 7:00.  Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.

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