Blazers Weekly Update
November 12, 2007 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release
The Kamloops Blazers finished up quite a week by picking up 5 of a possible 8 points - equivalent to a .625 win percentage - over the course of four games in six nights. The Blazers posted a 2-1-0-1 record to improve to 8-10-1-1 on the year. Here's what happened in the Blazers' four games last week.
Nov 6 vs Red Deer:
Landon Ferraro scored the lone goal in the shootout as the Red Deer Rebels edged the Blazers 2-1 on Tuesday night at ISC. After a scoreless first, the Blazers got a powerplay goal from Juuso Puustinen to open the scoring early in the second. The 1-0 lead stood up until the 18:40 mark of the middle period as Scott Doucet rapped in a loose puck behind James Priestner to tie the game at 1. Nothing was decided in the third period or overtime - despite the Blazers getting three powerplay chances in the third and the Rebels enjoying a 30-second 5-on-3 in OT. Final shots were 19-11 Blazers in regulation and 5-1 Rebels in overtime. James Reimer picked up the win while James Priestner is saddled with the SOL. The Blazers were 1-for-7 on the PP and 5-for-5 on the PK.
Nov 9 @ Spokane:
CJ Stretch's powerplay goal at 3:30 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and gave the Blazers a 4-3 come-from-behind win in Spokane on Friday. Tyler Shattock chipped in with his first of the year while Alex Rodgers and Ivan Rohác both added a goal a two assists. The Blazers trailed 2-0 in the first and 3-1 in the second before scoring tree unanswered. Final shots were 22 apiece with Justin Leclerc picking up the win and Kevin Armstrong taking the loss. The Blazers were 3-for-6 on the PP - with the tying and winning goals coming on a 5-minute major powerplay late in the second and early in the third - while the Chiefs were 2-for-7.
Nov 10 vs Chilliwack:
Ivan Roháè's goal with 3-and-a-half minutes left in the second broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Blazers to a 4-2 win over the Bruins on Saturday night at ISC. Mark Santorelli opened the scoring before Victor Bartley and Juuso Puustinen put the Blazers up 2-1 after one. In the second, Nick Holden tied the game at two before Roháè restored the one-goal lead eight minutes later. Tyler Shattock added an empty netter to round out the scoring. Final shots were 24-21 Chilliwack with Justin Leclerc picking up the win and Matt Esposito taking the loss. The Blazers were 1-for-5 on the PP while the Bruins were 2-for-4.
Nov 11 @ Vancouver:
The Vancouver Giants scored three goals in the first period en-route to a 5-2 win over the Blazers on Sunday night at the Pacific Coliseum. Shayne Wiebe's second of the season got the Blazers on the board midway through the second period while Ivan Roháè counted a powerplay goal in the third period to close out the scoring. Final shots were 38-18 Giants with Tyson Sexsmith getting the win and Justin Leclerc taking the loss. The Blazers were 1-for-3 on the powerplay and a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.
CLARK RELIEVED OF DUTIES
The ownership group of the Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club announced on Wednesday that it has relieved Dean Clark of his duties as General Manager and Head Coach of the team effective immediately. "This is a difficult day," said Blazers' principal owner Tom Gaglardi. "However, we have concluded that without a change in leadership there was not a reasonable expectation of our club playing to its full potential. As owners, we believe we owe the players and their families an environment where they can excel both on and off the ice. It is clear to us that our players have fallen short of their own personal expectations." "We as a group would also like to thank Dean for his four-plus years in the service of the hockey club. He did a tremendous job of bringing the franchise forward in that time. The team is in much better shape today than it was four-and-a-half years ago so we would like to thank him for all his efforts both with the team and within the! community," said Gaglardi.
HAWGOOD NAMED INTERIM HEAD COACH
On Thursday, the Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club announced the hiring of Blazer alumnus Greg Hawgood as the team's Interim Head Coach. Hawgood, whose #4 jersey hangs from the Interior Savings Centre rafters, is a veteran of 310 WHL games - all with Kamloops. Hawgood is the Blazers all-time leading scorer among defensemen and second overall - behind only Rob Brown - with 147 goals, 326 assists, and 437 points in five different seasons from 1983 to 1988. Following his stellar junior tenure, during which he was a 10th round selection of the Boston Bruins in 1986, Hawgood went on to a professional career spanning 19 seasons which featured 1220 games, over 200 goals, and in excess of 800 points. Included in the Edmonton-native's resume are 474 NHL games in which he recorded 60 goals and 224 points with Boston, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Florida, San Jose, Dallas, and Vancouver. He also played in American Hockey League, the International Hockey! League, and elite leagues in Finland and Italy before retiring as a player in 2006. "Greg is a consummate hockey professional," said Blazer co-owner Mark Recchi. "He has spent the majority of his life in and around the game and we are extremely pleased that he has decided to rejoin the Blazer franchise and bring his vast amount of experience and knowledge to our young players." "This is a great opportunity for me to get back in the game and I couldn't be more excited to be starting my junior coaching career here in the city where we had so much success," said the 39-year-old Hawgood. "I am looking forward to the challenge of getting up to speed and helping this team get back on its feet right away."
BLAZERS ACQUIRE CALLA FROM WARRIORS
On Thursday, the Kamloops Blazers and Moose Jaw Warriors completed a two-player trade in which the Blazers acquired 19-year-old forward Brady Calla - plus a conditional Bantam Draft selection - from the Warriors in exchange for 19-year-old defenseman Keaton Ellerby and a conditional Bantam Draft pick. Calla is a 6-foot, 195-pound right winger from Kelowna who has played in 219 WHL games with both Moose Jaw and Everett. He has scored 36 goals and added 69 assists for 105 points with the 'Tips and Warriors and has 2 goals and 10 points in 14 games with Moose Jaw this season. The Kamloops Blazers would like to thank Keaton for his efforts and accomplishments in his three-plus years as a Blazer and wish him success with his new teammates in Moose Jaw.
THE WEEK TO COME
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Practice 2pm @ ISC
Wednesday: GAME DAY vs KELOWNA; 7:00pm Face-off, 6:30pm Radio NL-McDonald's Pre-Game Show
Thursday: Practice 9am @ ISC; Depart for Portland
Friday: GAME DAY @ PORTLAND; 7:30pm Face-off, 7:05pm Radio NL-McDonald's Pre-Game Show
Saturday: GAME DAY @ CHILLIWACK; 7:00pm Face-off, 6:30pm Radio NL-McDonald's Pre-Game Show
Sunday: TBD
EDGE PROGRAM KICKS OFF
Once again, the Kamloops Blazers have partnered with the RCMP and School District #73 to bring the EDGE Program to Grade Six students in Kamloops and area. After a visit to Vancouver's downtown east side in September to see first-hand the horrors and impact of drug abuse and addiction, a half-dozen Blazers will now be bringing their experiences and personal messages to local students on making good choices, being role models for younger kids, and developing other life skills. Here's a schedule of the Blazers EDGE visits in November:
November 13 Aberdeen Elementary, 9am
November 21 McGowan Park, 9am
November 22 Arthur Stevenson, 10:30am
November 26 Marion Schilling, 9am
November 27 John Todd, 10:30am
November 28 Arthur Hatton (tentative)
November 29 Stuart Wood, 9am
For more information on the EDGE program, contact Greg "Spike" Wallace at the Blazer office - 250-828-1144.
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Western Hockey League Stories from November 12, 2007
- Blazers Weekly Update - Kamloops Blazers
- Pats Weekly - Regina Pats
- Chiefs Weekly Report - Spokane Chiefs
- This Week In Silvertips Hockey - Everett Silvertips
- Blazers finish weekend two-for-three - Kamloops Blazers
- Rebels Make Deal With Everett - Red Deer Rebels
- Giants Captain Named WHL Player of the Week - Vancouver Giants
- Machacek WHL Player of the Week - WHL
- Brandon Wheat Kings insider - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Giants weekly - Vancouver Giants
- Nachbaur gets win number 350; Americans Kruise past 'Hawks 5-1 - Tri-City Americans
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