Blazers scouting report

KELOWNA ROCKETS at KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
Today, 7 p.m., Interior Savings Centre (Radio NL 610)

KELOWNA (0-2-0-0): The Rockets started with two road losses — 5-2 to the
Tri-City Americans and 2-1 to Portland Winter Hawks. . . . As of last night,
the Rockets still had four players in NHL camps — RW Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars), D Tysen Dowzak (New York Rangers), D Tyler Myers (Buffalo Sabres) and D Luke Schenn (Toronto Maple Leafs). . . . They got C Colin Long, who finished second in the points derby last season, back from the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday and C Cody Almond (Minnesota
Wild) was reassigned late yesterday. . . . Kelowna acquired
G Kris Lazaruk, 20, from the Kootenay Ice on Saturday and he played both
weekend games. His backup is Adam Brown, a 17-year-old freshman. . . . With
Dowzak away, Lazaruk is the lone 20-year-old on the Rockets’ roster. . . .
Injuries: LW Lucas Bloodoff (broken hand, out)
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KAMLOOPS (2-0-0-1): The Blazers beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 4-3 in a
shootout on Wednesday. . . . Kamloops has played three games — one has ended
in OT and the other two have been decided in the circus. . . . LW Shayne
Wiebe has a team-high four goals in three games. Counting the exhibition,
Wiebe, who scored nine goals as a rookie last season, has 10 goals in his
last six games. . . . Wiebe, C C.J. Stretch and D Giffen Nyren each has a
team-high five points. Nyren is tops in assists, with five. . . . The
Blazers had 25 players at practice Thursday, the first time they have had
their entire roster on hand, with the exception of the injured Mark Hall,
since early in training camp. . . . Veteran G Justin Leclerc gets the start
tonight after backing up G Jon Groenheyde on Wednesday. Leclerc started the
Blazers’ first two games this season. . . . Groenheyde, who made one start
last season, is 2-0 in his WHL career. . . . After playing in Kelowna on
Saturday, the Blazers are home to the Memorial Cup-champion Spokane Chiefs on Tuesday and then head into Alberta for a doubleheader. Kamloops plays the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Oct. 2 and the Hitmen in Calgary on Oct. 3. . . . Injuries:
C Mark Hall (knee, out).
— GREGG DRINNAN