It's been long time since the Thompson Blazers were contenders in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League.
In fact, since the Blazers won the inaugural league championship in 2004 with a playoff final win over the Cariboo Canucks (as they were known in their first two seasons before they changed their name to the Cougars), the Blazers have never been a contender.
In the past nine seasons, they've finished no better than eighth in an 11-team league. But this might be the year the Kamloops-based team sheds its perennial loser tag.
Coming off two consecutive last-overall finishes and an abysmal 2-35-3 record in 2014-15, the Blazers' climb to respectability has been measurable, but in small increments. Through six games, the Blazers have a 1-4-1 record (10th overall) which they will try to improve this weekend when they host the fifth-place Cougars (4-3-1).
"They've got a new coaching staff - they're good hockey people and they're a better team," said Cougars head coach and general manager Trevor Sprague.
"For them it's about building a good program to keep players to stay, instead of going to an academy or junior B. A lot of these organizations have taken advantage of them. The Kamloops Blazers are a big part of what they're doing this year, helping them out and making sure they will be a successful team with good growth over the next three or four years."
The major midget Blazers' management has been revamped with Chris Hans taking over as general manager after five seasons in the CIS with the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack. Hans, the father of former Cariboo Cougars assistant coach/WHL Cougars winger Tyler Halliday, brought with him Don Schultz to handle the head coaching duties. Schultz was head coach at TRU the past four seasons.
Sprague anticipates the Blazers will have solid goaltending, no matter who gets the call in net. Neither Aris Anagnostopoulos (4.29 goals-against average) nor Max Palaga (6.50 GAA) have posted great numbers but they've each played well enough to earn the attention of junior team scouts. The Cougars beat the Blazers 6-0 in a preseason game in Kamloops Sept. 10 and Sprague said if not for some outstanding netminding from Palaga the outcome would have been much more lopsided.
The Cougars are healthy with the exception of F Ethan O'Rourke (back injury) and D Logan Archer (concussion). In practice Thursday Archer had a relapse of the head injury he suffered three weeks ago in the league showcase in Richmond.
Sprague said goalie Dorrin Luding will start tonight and Aaron Jakubowski will play in the rematch Sunday afternoon. Jakubowski picked up his first BCMMHL win Sunday in Nanaimo against the North Island Silvertips.
"Our team is just playing consistent hockey, we won two games against the worst team in the league (North Island). Saturday was a bit of a battle (a 2-0 Cougars' win) and Sunday we ended up winning 7-2. That was a good improvement and we'll see if we can do the same. (The Blazers) are not a team for us to underestimate."
Chase DuBois continues to lead the Cougars with three goals and 11 points in eight games. The 17-year-old from Williams Lake ranks ninth overall in league scoring. He'll be playing on the Cougars' top line this weekend with Colton Thomas and Mason Richey.
The Cougars will be back home next weekend to play the South Island Royals. The Victoria-based Royals (4-1-1) and Cougars each have nine points, three back of the league-leading Vancouver Northwest Giants (6-2-0), but the Royals have played two fewer games than the Cougars.
LOOSE PUCKS: Former Cougar G Griffen Outhouse (Victoria Royals) and D Conor MacEachern (Portland Winterhawks) have made their respective WHL teams as 17-year-olds.
