With 15 players away at NHL camps, the Portland Winterhawks were the first WHL team forced to cancel an exhibition game when they announced Monday that they wouldn't be able to ice a team against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.
The Kamloops Blazers, with eight skaters away and four others injured, followed suit, cancelling Wednesday's scheduled home game with the Prince George Cougars.
The Blazers (1-2-1) and Cougars (1-2-1) are supposed to complete their exhibition schedules in Prince George on Friday. The Cougars have stated that their "final preseason home game on Friday . . . versus the Blazers will take place as scheduled."
The Cougars have three players -- Brett Connolly, Martin Maricin and Charles Inglis -- away at NHL camps and Dean Clark, the club's head coach, said they are able to dress a full roster.
Kamloops players may begin to trickle back from pro camps on Friday, but it's not known if any might get to Prince George in time to play. The four injured players all would have had to sit out Wednesday's game.
