Kamloops takes down Thunderbirds

Philp, Kubicek score in 7-2 loss to Blazers

October 27, 2018 8:30 am
The Thunderbirds’ Jaxan Kaluski, right, battles the Blazers’ Martin Lang for the puck along the boards during WHL play Friday night. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
The Thunderbirds’ Jaxan Kaluski, right, battles the Blazers’ Martin Lang for the puck along the boards during WHL play Friday night. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

The Kamloops Blazers defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds in a Western Hockey League game 7-2 at the accesso ShoWare Center on Friday night.

The T-Birds killed off 1:41 of a Blazers’ five-on-three power play 2:34 into the game.

Seattle (6-3-2-0) took a 1-0 lead on a five-on-three power-play goal by Noah Philp at 8:12 of the first period. Reece Harsch had the puck at center ice inside the blue line. Harsch passed the puck to Philp in the circle. Philp one-timed the Harsch pass and beat Kamloops goalie Dylan Ferguson high. Andrej Kukuca had the second assist.

The T-Birds stayed on the power play and converted at 9:02 of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Kukuca had the along the left wall. Kukuca passed the puck to Simon Kubicek at center ice. Kubicek took a wrist shot with traffic in front of Ferguson that beat the goalie on the blocker side. Nolan Volcan had the assist.

Kamloops (4-6-0-1) cut the lead to one at 11:47 of the first on Nolan Kneen’s goal. Connor Zary and Devan Harrison had the assists.

The Blazers tied the game 2-2 at 7:25 of the second on a goal from Jermaine Loewen. Zary had the only assist.

Zane Franklin put the Blazers up 4-2 after 40 minutes of play with goals at 8:34 and 19:43 of the second.

Zary scored at 3:37 and Franklin scored at 6:04 of the third period to make it a 6-2 Blazers lead.

Cole Schwebius replaced Liam Hughes in Seattle net after the Blazers’ sixth goal. Hughes had 22 saves on 28 shots.

Kneen scored at 7:56 of the third to make it a 7-2 Kamloops lead.

Schwebius had seven saves on eight shots.

Ferguson stopped 31 of 33 shots.

Up next

The T-Birds travel to Vancouver to play the Giants at 7 p.m. Saturday.

For tickets to upcoming games, visit seattlethunderbirds.com.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Philp 8 (Harsch, Kukuca), 8:12 (pp). 2, Seattle, Kubicek 5 (Kukuca, Volcan), 9:02 (pp). 3, Kamloops, Kneen 1 (Zary, Harrison), 11:47. Penalties – Volcan, Sea (double minor-high sticking), :14. Lee, Sea (tripping), 2:34. Zary, Kam (holding), 7:01. Onyebuchi, Kam (cross checking), 7:22. Onyebuchi, Kam (major-fighting), 13:20. McNelly, Sea (major-fighting), 13:20.

Second period – 4, Kamloops, Loewen 3 (Zary), 7:25. 5, Kamloops, Franklin 9 (Centazzo, Smith), 8:34. 6, Kamloops, Franklin 10 (Pillar), 19:43. Penalties – Wedman, Sea (tripping), :09. Hamaliuk, Sea (hooking), 4:18. Williams, Sea (roughing), 5:12. Centazzo, Kam (roughing), 5:12. Smith, Kam (high-sticking), 10: 47. Huo, Sea (high sticking), 14:18.

Third period – 7, Kamloops, Zary 5 (Loewen, Lang), 3:37. 8, Kamloops, Franklin 11 (Centazzo, Smith), 6:04. 9, Kamloops, Kneen 2 (Zazula, Zary), 7:56. Penalties – Franklin, Kam (delay of game), 1:19. Smith, Kam (slashing), 9:07. Philp, Sea (slashing), 10:35. Savey, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:15. Mohr, Kam (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:15. Denomie, Kam (10-minute misconduct), 16:39. McNelly, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 16:39.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-12-13 33, Kamloops 6-19-11 36. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 28 shots-22 saves (6-2-1-0), Schwebius 8-7; Kamloops, Ferguson 33-31 (4-5-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-5; Kamloops 0-7. A – 4,069. Referees – Stephen Campbell, Jeff Ingram. Linesmen – Adam Brastad, Cameron Wetmore.