Blazers box

THE SCORE
Kamloops 5, Vancouver 4 (SO)

WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers refused to quit, getting a late goal from LW Alex Rodgers to
force OT and then beat the defending Memorial Cup champions in circus time.

THE STANDINGS
The Blazers (18-18-1-1) moved into a seventh-place tie with the Seattle
Thunderbirds in the Western Conference. They are two points out of fifth. .
. . The Giants (26-7-1-4) picked up a point and are tied with the Spokane
Chiefs for first place overall.

THE ROAD
The Blazers left immediately after the game for Everett where they play the
Silvertips tonight. Everett (19-18-0-2) and the Chilliwack Bruins have 40
points, two more than the Blazers.

THE HIGHWAY
Derek Holloway, the Giants’ bus driver, said the Coquihalla on Sunday
afternoon was “the worst I’ve ever seen it.” He said traffic at the snowshed
hill was at a standstill. If conditions were still poor, the Giants were to
spend the night here and then head for Kelowna on Monday. They meet the
Rockets there Wednesday.

THE NEXT GM?
The Giants’ coaching staff includes former Kamloops D Craig Bonner. A lot of
hockey people predict that Bonner, the Giants’ assistant GM/assistant coach,
will be the next GM of the Blazers. Ask him about it and he just laughs.

THE FORMER COACH
Former Blazers head coach Mark Ferner, now the GM/head coach of the BCHL’s
Vernon Vipers, took in the game. He was seated eight rows behind the bench
behind which he used to stand.

THE ANALYST
David Michaud, the former analyst on Kelowna Rockets’ broadcasts, worked his
second game on Radio NL last night. Michaud, who lives in Kelowna and works
in sales at AM1150, plans working as many Blazers games as possible.

THE WJC, Part 1
Blazers LW Ivan Rohac scored once and had three minor penalties as Slovakia
beat Denmark 4-3 in a relegation-round game at the World Junior Championship
in Pardubice, Czech Republic, on Sunday. He was pointless in a 5-2
round-robin loss to Czech Republic on Saturday.

The WJC, Part 2
Blazers RW Juuso Puustinen had a goal and four minor penalties Saturday as
Finland blanked Kazakhstan 5-0 Saturday in Liberec, Czech Republic, and
qualified for the playoff round at the WJC. Finland meets the Team USA today
in its final round-robin game.

THE WHC
Blazers C Jimmy Bubnick scored twice Sunday to help Team West to a 7-4
victory over Team Atlantic at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in London,
Ont. Team West is 2-0. . . . In another game, Blazers G James Priestner
stopped 25 shots as Team Pacific (1-1) whipped Slovakia, 6-2.

THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS

1. LW Alex Rodgers, Kamloops. Another big goal.

2. RW Brock Nixon, Kamloops. Left it all on the ice.

3. D Mike Berube, Vancouver. Ate up minutes.

UP NEXT
The Blazers left immediately after last night’s game as they play the
Silvertips in Everett tonight. Kamloops is at home to the Tri-City Americans
on Friday.