Blazers Weekly
Published on January 19, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release
BLAZERS FINISH WEEK 1-2-0 â Oklahoma City played three last week, posting a 1-2-0 mark. The Blazers upended the Fort Worth Brahmas 3-2 in Fort Worth on January 17. Oklahoma City was whitewashed by the Memphis RiverKings 5-0 on January 16 and spanked by the Bossier-Shreveport MudBugs 8-1 on January 18. The Blazers is 20-16-5, with 45 points and in second place in the Northwest Division of the CHL.
BLAZERS BLANKED â Oklahoma City met the Memphis RiverKings for the fourth time this season and came away with their fourth straight loss to Memphis. RiverKings goaltender Mike Minard stopped all 32 shots he faced for the shutout. Ex-Tulsa Oiler Ryan Courtney led the way for Memphis with a hat trick. Blazers goaltender Sean Connors absorbed the loss, his fifth straight.
BLAZERS AVENGE LOSS TO BRAHMAS â Oklahoma City avenged a 5-1 loss to Fort Worth on December 11 with a 3-2 win over the Brahmas on January 17. Marty Standish (1-1-2) and Doug Sheppard (0-2-2) led the way for the Blazers. Goaltender Boyd Ballard stopped 23 of 25 shots for the win.
OKC SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME â January 18, the Blazers visited the Bossier-Shreveport MudBugs for the final time this season. The game was originally scheduled for February 12, but was moved to the 18th due to a building conflict. Judging by the outcome, the Blazers would perhaps like to play the game again in February. Trailing 1-0 at the end of one, the Blazers surrendered six goals in the second period. Only a third period power-play goal by Peter Robertson prevented the Blazers from being blanked for the second time in three games. The 8-1 loss is the worst defeat for the Blazers this season.
DUBOIS RETURNS TO LINEUP â Jonathan Dubois is back in a Blazers' uniform. The feisty veteran centerman replaces the injured Peter Arvanitis as a veteran on the Blazers' roster. Dubois picked up a goal in his second game back this season on January 17. Dubois enters this season ranked in the top 10 all-time among CHL players in assists, points, penalty minutes and games played.
CONNORS LOSES SIXTH STRAIGHT DECISIONâ Blazers goaltender Sean Connors set a dubious franchise mark with his loss on January 18 at Shreveport. The loss was his sixth straight. The previous mark was five straight losses held by Alan Perry. Not all the blame can be placed on Connors. In those six losses, the Blazers have scored a total of six goals in front of him, with four coming in a 6-4 loss at Austin. Three of the losses have been by way of shutout. Connors' last win was on December 19 against Indy.
ONE MORE FOR THE RECORD â This season, the Oklahoma City Blazers have been shutout six times. That ties the Blazers' franchise record for shutouts against the Blazers in a single season. From December 12, a 2-0 shutout loss to Indy, the Blazers have been blanked five times, a span of 17 games.
SAUTER & FLECK HEAD TO ALL-STAR GAME â Blazers defensemen Hardy Sauter and Tyler Fleck will head to Albuquerque, New Mexico Tuesday to participate in the 2004 Dodge CHL All-Star Game. The game itself is scheduled for January 22 at 8:05 p.m. (CST).
OSU JERSEY NIGHT â The Blazers are teaming up with Oklahoma State University for OSU Night with the Blazers on January 24. The Blazers will wear OSU style jerseys for the home-and-home series with the Wichita Thunder this weekend. The jerseys will be auctioned in a silent auction during the game with the proceeds going to an OSU charity. The Wichita Thunder will be wearing Kansas State style jerseys for both games.
2004 HAS BEEN ROUGH THUS FAR â The calendar year of 2004 has been tough for the Oklahoma City Blazers. Since the turn of the calendar, the Blazers have posted a 3-4-1 record, have been shutout three times and have been outscored by a 35-14 margin.
MEMPHIS' WIN IS FIFTH STRAIGHT OVER BLAZERS â The Memphis RiverKings' 5-0 win over the Blazers on January 16 was the team's fifth straight over the Blazers in the regular season, dating back to March 11, 2003.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2004
- Hurricanes Lose Long Time Scout - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Blazers Weekly - Kamloops Blazers
- Tips Finish Weekend on Great Note - Everett Silvertips
- Lammers to play for Team Cherry - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Weekly Ice Report - Kootenay Ice
- Meyer Named Greyhound WHL Player of the Week - WHL
- Player of the Year Voting to Begin - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Winter Hawks End Losing Streak - Portland Winterhawks
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