Kamloops Blazers News
Published on January 13, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release
THIS IS A SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE NEWSLETTER! THE FIRST SEGMENT IS FROM JANUARY 7TH, THE MIDDLE OF OUR EASTERN ROAD TRIP. THE SECOND SEGMENT IS FROM JANUARY 13TH, FOLLOWING SOME BIG CHANGES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
Happy New Year, everyone! I'm sitting here in my hotel room in Regina...taking inventory of all the things on my "to do" list...and remembered about the newsletter! I can't believe how things can fall through the cracks when you get away for a while!
So, here I am, about 90 minutes away from boarding the bus for Brandon, writing out the first newsletter of 2004. And, boy, is there lots to tell!
The guys went 1-2-0-0 in their last three games of 2003, suffering a 3-1 loss in Vancouver, picking up a 5-4 win at home over the same Giants, then dropping a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in Kelowna on December 30th.
Things really started to get interesting shortly after the clock struck midnight on January 1st.
We completed a 7-player trade with the Brandon Wheat Kings...sending Erik Christensen, Tyler Boldt, and Dustin Slade to Manitoba in exchange for goalie Geoff McIntosh, defenseman Josh Garbutt, and forwards Ricky Kozak and Derek Werenka. There's no other way to describe it, really...it's simply a blockbuster...and it got the drop on the trade deadline...which is January 8th.
It was certainly tough to see Erik, Tyler, and Dustin go...but we get the chance to see them again tonight in Brandon (a 5:00pm start on Radio NL). Geoff, Derek, Ricky, and Josh have all chipped in in the three games with us...games that have all ended in ties.
The road trip began with a 2-2 tie in Saskatoon last Friday. McIntosh picked up the tie in goal while Kozak scored one of the two Blazer goals.
On Saturday, Kozak scored again, and Garbutt had an assist in a 3-3 draw with the East Division-leading Prince Albert Raiders.
Then last night, Werenka scored the lone goal in a 1-1 draw in Moose Jaw. Last night's game was the best of the bunch so far...with Devan Dubnyk and Blake Grenier stopping 34 saves each. Dubnyk became the man of the hour when he stopped Dustin Boyd on a penalty shot with 18.8 seconds left in the third period! Wow...talk about drama!
Coming up on Monday, the first-ever Tip-A-Blazer Dinner at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar in Kamloops. The Keg's new location, in case you didn't know, is just east of Sport Mart Place on Lorne Street.
Blazer players will be there between 6pm and 8pm helping Keg staff serve customers and the tips they receive will go towards the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Hey! Guess what? We're coming home! We host Spokane next Friday night and Portland next Sunday with a trip to Kelowna in between on Saturday. If you haven't got your tickets for the next few home games(we have four new players you haven't seen yet!), call the Sport Mart Place Box Office at
828-3339.
January 13th, 2004
Well...never a dull moment in Blazerville.
The first full day back from our Saskatchewan road trip (which ended 0-1-5-0, by the way), the team goes through a managerial shake-up that sees the club and General Manager Mike Moore part ways.
The change is effective immediately, leaving Dean Clark in charge of the hockey operations on an interim basis and the Board, under the direction of President Case van Diemen, overseeing the business operations of the organization.
As you can imagine, this is a big deal and has come as a shock to everyone. However, the staff and players of the hockey club are committed to carrying on with the day-to-day goal of the club to improve both on and off the ice.
The team is home after a week that saw them tie in Brandon (4-4), tie in Regina (1-1), and lose in Swift Current (5-2). Not the way to end the road trip...especially since they had third period leads AGAIN in Brandon and Regina. Better now than April, right?
We have the guys heading off to Marion Schilling Elementary on Wednesday morning from 10:30 to 1.
I also understand the Tip-A-Blazer Night was a ROARING success over at the Keg last night. I hope to have a tip total later today or tomorrow as we teamed up to raise money for the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Thanks!
HEY! We have two players going to the Top Prospects' Game in London, ON, on January 21st. Goalie Devan Dubnyk and defenseman Roman Tesliuk will be winging east to take part in the annual showcase for the top draft-eligible prospects for the upcoming NHL Draft in June of 2004 in Raleigh, NC.
Congrats to Dubie and Roman!!
This weekend, we play three games in three nights. On Friday, we're home to Spokane, then we're in Kelowna on Saturday, and back home Sunday against Portland.
Get your tickets now to see "the new guys": #7 Josh Garbutt, #21 Ricky Kozak, #38 Derek Werenka,
and #1 Geoff McIntosh!
That's about it for now.
See ya later...and GO BLAZERS!
Kirk
Western Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2004
- Four Hitmen players selected to CHL's Top Prospects Game - Calgary Hitmen
- Dubnyk, Tesliuk to play in Top Prospects Game - Kamloops Blazers
- Winter Hawks' Defenseman Chosen in NHL Top Prospects Game - Portland Winterhawks
- Fistric Off To Top Prospects Game - Vancouver Giants
- Kamloops Blazers News - Kamloops Blazers
- Hunter to suit up at CHL/NHL Prospects Game - Prince George Cougars
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
