BIG WEEKEND FOR BLAZERS

Team Manitoba captain and Blazers prospect Jordan Thomson with Kamloops native and Team B.C. Captain Joe Hicketts. Photo credit - Troy Clifford.

The Blazers are hosting the Kelowna Rockets for Pink Power Play night Friday. Throughout the evening, the hockey club will be raising money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. For all the details, follow this link.

It has been a good week of practice for the Blazers after playing six games in nine nights over the past two weeks. Anytime a team can go 5-1-0-0 in a tough stretch like the Blazers just went through, there are a lot of positives.

The 2011 Team WHL for the Subway Super Series came out today, but no Blazers were selected for the event. Last year, the city of Kamloops hosted one of the games and Brendan Ranford, Austin Madaisky and Chase Schaber all played for Team WHL. It would have been a nice bonus for a Blazer to be selected. There is still a possibility for Madaisky or Ranford to be chosen as replacements if there are injuries.  

This weekend is pivotal for the Blazers to keep their momentum going. They have played outstanding hockey to this point. They are an exciting team to watch scoring 51 goals in 12 games, and only allowing 31 goals which is the best goal differential in the WHL. The team is off to its best start since the 2001-02 season where they were 9-2-0-1 with an overtime loss.

Two Blazer prospects are playing at the 2011 Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup in Moose Jaw. Jordan Thomson, who was selected 4^th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, is the Captain of Team Manitoba and goaltender Liam McLeod, who the Blazers selected in the 9^th round, is playing for Team B.C. Good luck and congratulations to both players for being selected to represent their provinces.

It was a nice bonus for the Blazers to see themselves ranked in the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10. The hockey team came in ranked 10^th in the country. At this stage of the season, it is tough to put a lot of stock in the rankings. At the same time, it is nice to see this team get some recognition for their good start.

Why have the Blazers had early season success? Here are some stats to look at:

·         Penalty Minutes… The Blazers are ranked 15^th averaging only 16 penalty minutes per game. Last season the Blazers were 4^th in the league averaging 20.8 minutes per game.

·         Penalty Killing… After finishing 20^th and leading the WHL with the most power play goals against, the Blazers are ranked 12^th in the WHL with 78.9% on the kill.

·         Goals Against… The Blazers are way down in this department averaging only 2.58 goals against per game. Last season the hockey club allowed 3.96 goals per game which was the 3^rd worst in the WHL.

·         Depth up Front… The Blazers haven’t relied on one line or one player to do the team’s scoring. It has been spread out throughout the team six players are averaging a point per game this season.

·         Solid Goaltending… The duo of Cole Cheveldave and Cam Lanigan has worked well to this point in the season. Both goalies have won games and are ranked among the top 10 goaltenders in the WHL statistically.