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WHL Kamloops Blazers

Blazers Win on Late Heroics 4-3 in Regina

December 12, 2013 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release


The Kamloops Blazers (7-21-2-2) won a thriller as they beat the Regina Pats (17-13-1-1) 4-3 in a shootout. The two teams combined for three goals in the final 1:23 to send this one to overtime as Jesse Shynkaruk was the lone goal scorer in the shootout.

The Blazers were the better team early on in this first period getting chances and having a lengthy five-on-three power play, but could not find the back of the net. Chase Souto had the best chance as he was left alone in front of the net, but shot wide on goaltender Nick Schneider. The Pats scored first on their teddy bear night as Boston Leier ripped a shot past goaltender Taran Kozun midway through the period for a 1-0 lead. The goal seemed to tilt the puck to the Pats side as they were the better team in the late stages of the first period, but the game remained 1-0 through one period.

It only took 1:49 into the second period for the Blazers to tie this one up as Cole Ully set up Matt Needham for a one-timer off the rush with Needham getting his sixth goal of the season making it 1-1. The Blazers had their chances to take the lead as Chase Souto had two breakaways in the period but couldn't convert. The Pats took the lead back with just over seven minutes to play at the end of a power play. Dryden Hunt got to a rebound and put it past Kozun to make it 2-1 for the Pats heading into the third period.

The Blazers really could not get much going in the period until desperation set in during the late stages of the hockey game. Cole Ully dumped a puck in with just over a minute and a half to go as goaltender Taran Kozun went to the bench for an extra attacker. Matt Needham won a puck battle to Ully as he just stuffed it on goal coming on from behind the net and it squeaked by goaltender Nick Schneider to tie the game up at 2-2 with 1:23 to go. The Blazers didn't stop as Matt Needham found the rebound on a shot by Cole Ully and put it home to give the Blazers their first lead of the hockey game with 53 seconds to go. The Pats came back the other way and a centering pass by Boston Leier off the rush went off a Blazers defender and under Kozun to tie the hockey game with only 35 seconds left.

Overtime solved nothing as this one headed to a shootout. Taran Kozun stopped all three shooters he faced, while Jesse Shynkaruk scored on his first WHL shootout attempt to lift the Blazers to a 4-3 victory over the Pats.

For the Blazers, it was a huge win as it ended a dismal 0-11-1-1 streak and is the second win on the road for the hockey club this season.

Taran Kozun finished the game with 39 saves, while Nick Schneider made 28 saves for the Pats.

The Blazers were 0-for-5 on the power play, while the Pats finished 1-for-4.

The Blazers will have tomorrow off before playing three games in three nights in Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw.

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2013


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