The Prince George Cougars had their two-game win streak halted Wednesday, after falling to the Kamloops Blazers 8-2 at Sandman Centre.
The Blazers scored five first-period goals on 15 shots, as they stormed out to a 5-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Koehn Ziemmer had a goal and an assist and seven shots on net for the Cougars. Ziemmer’s goal was his 30th of the season. He is the first Cougars’ rookie to hit the 30-goal plateau since Brett Connolly in the 2008-2009 season. Twenty of Ziemmer’s 30 goals have come since Jan. 1.
Riley Heidt also found the back of the net as he and Ziemmer both scored in the second period. Keaton Dowhaniuk had two assists, was a plus one, and had registered nine hits.
Goaltender Tyler Brennan started the game for the Cougars but was replaced by Ty Young after he allowed three goals on eight shots in six minutes of work. Young turned aside 27 of 32 shots the rest of the way.
Prince George thought they got out to a quick start, as Carter MacAdams redirected Ethan Samson’s point shot past the Blazers’ Dylan Garand just 10 seconds into the game. The referees initially signaled a goal, but after a conference among the four officials, they waved it off. A short video review upheld their decision.
The fresh slate for the Blazers seemed to give them a shot of energy, as they went on to score three goals over a four-and-a-half-minute span.
Prince George remains four points up on the idle Spokane Chiefs for eighth place in the Western Conference.
The Cougars next play on Friday night in Kelowna against the Rockets.
Next Game: Friday, April 1st at Kelowna Rockets, 7:05 pm
GAME SUMMARY
Scoring
Blazers: Bankier (2), Stankoven (2), Minten, Kuefler, Seminoff, Englot
Cougars: Ziemmer, Heidt
Goaltending
Blazers: Dylan Garand (W), 60:00, (2 GA, 31 SVS)
Cougars: Tyler Brennan (L), 6:21, (3 GA, 5 SVS) | Ty Young, 53:39 (5 GA, 27 SVS)
Power-Play
Blazers: 1/6
Cougars: 0/5
Shots
Blazers: 40
Cougars: 33
Three Stars: 1) Logan Stankoven 2) Caedan Bankier 3) Matthew Seminoff
