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Blazers manhandle Cougars

Teams meet again Saturday in rematch in Kamloops
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Citizen Photo by James Doyle. Prince George Cougars forward Blake Eastman looks to make a play with the puck against the Kamloops Blazers on Friday night at CN Centre.

Talent is an asset and the Kamloops Blazers have it in abundance.

They made perfectly clear to the Prince George Cougars in a 6-1 manhandling Friday at CN Centre.

It was a case of two teams headed in opposite directions on the Western Hockey League spectrum colliding with predictable results. Outshot  49-21, the score could have been much worse for the Cougars if not goalie Taylor Gauthier, who was left to his own devices way too often .

Orrin Centazzo scored twice, his 40th and 41st of the season, to stake the Blazers to their 36th win in 57 games this season. The Blazers (36-17-3-1) are 34 points ahead of the Cougars (17-33-4-4), who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third-straight season.

“We’re a beat-up, dead hockey team right now, it’s as simple as that,” said Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb. “They’re a team we’ve had success against them and they are not going to take us lightly at all. We didn’t have a chance in that game, right from the start. They’re a good hockey team that we couldn’t keep up with.”

The Blazers came in the second-highest scoring team in the WHL and flexed their muscles for a 2-0 lead after one period. Logan Stankoven got them started with a power move puck-drag across the crease that gave him just enough room to slide the puck in behind Gauthier. Late in the period, Matthew Seminoff was in the right place to get a loose puck jammed on net by Daylan Kuefler and Seminoff popped in a shot from close range.

The Blazers cashed in on their first power-play chance to start the second period. Connor Zary took the puck into the zone with a head of steam, cut into the slot around Cole Moberg and whipped a low shot in to Gauthier’s stick side for a 3-0 lead.  

The Cats got themselves on the seven minutes into the second. Vladislav Mikhalchuk crossed the centre line along the boards and chipped the puck into the opposite corner. llijah Colina won the footrace with Blazers defenceman Sean Strange and fed Josh Maser in front. The Cougar captain double-clutched to get Rayce Ramsey moving and put the puck through the goalie’s legs for his team-leading 25th goal.

Kamloops restored the three-goal cushion on a point shot from Montana Onyebuchi that slipped through the legs of a screened Gauthier.

Centazzo’s first of the night came just 10 seconds into the third period, tapping in a pass from behind the net from Zary. Centazzo capped the scoring late with his 41st of the season on a Kamloops power play.

“They’re a very skilled hockey team and they’ve got one really good line that can really move the puck around quick,” said Cougars 20-year-old defenceman Ryan Schoettler. “If you look the wrong way, next thing you know they’re throwing the puck through and there’s a guy open so you have to have your head on a swivel.

“If you make mistakes they’ll make you pay. Their transition game, they’re quick with the puck and they can score goals in an instant.  Just that offensive ability with them is impressive.”

The Cougars have now lost three straight, further dimming their faint playoff hopes. The Spokane Chiefs did the Cats a bit of favour, beating the Seattle Thunderbirds 9-2 Friday in Kent, Wash. Seattle holds the second wild-card playoff spot and remains 11 points ahead of the Cougars.

The Cats were without veteran defenceman Jack Sander and Marco Creta. Sander was cut by the skate blade of Moberg when he fell in front of his teammate in Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to Kelowna. Creta returned to his home in Winnipeg for personal reasons. That gave more icetime for the likes of WHL rookies Aiden Reeves, Ethan Samson and affiliated player Keaton Dowhaniuk.

“Sander plays a big role on our d-corps, just that extra presence in being a veteran guy,” said Schoettler. “It’s good for the young guys getting that experience. I’d say they did pretty well tonight.”

Dowhaniuk played his fifth WHL game on a callup from the OHA Edmonton prep team. The Cougars’ top prospect, selected third-overall in the 2019 bantam draft, played an aggressive game and made his presence felt. He had the hit of the game in the last minute of the second period, pasting Seminoff with a shoulder hit into the boards just outside the penalty box.

Dowhaniuk has been doing his part as an offensive-minded sparkplug for his academy team. In 25 games the first-year midget has five goals and 17 assists for 22 points. Dowhaniuk turned 16 on Feb. 8.  

 “He’s not the biggest guy but he’s pretty good at throwing his weight around,”’ said Schoettler. “He has a pretty bright future in this league, I think.”

LOOSE PUCKS: The Cougars avoided Friday’s heavy snowfall and will head out early Saturday for Kamloops, where they’ll meet the Blazers in a 7 p.m. game… The Cougars are back home Wednesday to play host to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, then conclude their home schedule next Friday and Saturday against the Vancouver Giants… Cougars centre Ethan Browne missed his second game with back spasms.

Friday’s WHL summary

Blazers 6 at Cougars 1

First Period

1. Kamloops, Stankoven 27 (Zabransky, Hughes) 7:14

2. Kamloops, Seminoff 5 (Kuefler, Bankier)  17:50

Penalty – Schmiemann Kam (slashing) 1:21.

Second Period

3. Kamloops, Zary 34, 3:44 (pp)

4. Prince George, Maser 25 (Colina, Mikhalchuk) 6:58

5. Kamloops, Onyebuchi 6 (Zary, Franklin) 14:40

Penalties  - Koffer PG (hooking) 2:30, Moberg PG (hooking) 8:28, Boyle PG (9tripping) 16:36.

Third Period

6. Kamloops, Centazzo 40 (Zary, Strange) 0:10

7. Kamloops, Centazzo 41 (Zary, Martin) 16:01 (pp)

Penalties – Dowhaniuk PG (interference) 3:35, Pillar Kam (interference) 6:53, Carpendale Kam (double-tripping, misconduct) 18:45.

Shots on goal by

Kamloops            16           16           17           -49

Prince George   7              5              9              -21

Goal – Kamloops, Ramsay (W,10-8-1-0); Prince George, Gauthier (L,13-26-3-4).

Power plays – Kam: 2-5; PG: 0-3.

Referees – Fraser Lawrence, Bobby Jo Love; Linesmen – Tyler Garden, Anthony Maletta.

Attendance – 2,648.