Blazers box

THE SCORE
Kamloops 6, Chilliwack 3

WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers watched a 3-0 lead become 3-2 before taking over in the second
period and completely dominating from there to the finish.

THE STANDINGS
The Blazers (9-9-0-2) are fifth in the Western Conference, three points
behind the Spokane Chiefs and four behind the Kelowna Rockets. The Bruins
(5-11-1-1) have lost nine straight and are tied with the Seattle
Thunderbirds for the last playoff spot.

THE RIVALRY
The Blazers are 12-7-1-2 versus Chilliwack since the Bruins entered the
league for 2006-07. On the flip side, the Bruins are 10-12-0-0 against the
Blazers.

THE LATE SCRATCH
Originally, Chilliwack D Carter Berg was scratched from the lineup but he
ended up getting in when D James Bettauer took ill during the warmup. The
Bruins are without their two best defencemen — Matt Strong (shoulder) and
Jesse Craige (jaw) — likely until after Christmas.

THE DEFENCEMAN
Kamloops D Giffen Nyren, already with a career-high 16 assists, has points
in each of his last seven games. He has eight points over that stretch.

THE MISSING OFFENCE
Chilliwack has scored only 38 goals in 18 games this season. And in losing
nine in a row the Bruins have scored only 14 goals. . . . In 18 games, the
Bruins have yet to lead after the first period; they have been outscored
27-7 in the opening 20 minutes.

THE PLUS-MINUS
Chilliwack freshman LW Alexander Wiklund, an 18-year-old from Sweden, was -3
and now is -21 on the season. He is on pace to be -84 by season’s end.

THE RANKINGS
According to the Massey Rankings (www.masseyrankings.com), which are
computer rankings and take into account such things as strength of schedule
and home-and-away records, the Blazers are at No. 16 and the Bruins at No.
22 to this point in the season. The computer project the Blazers winning
this one, 4.5-2.1.

THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS

1. LW Shayne Wiebe, Kamloops. Two goals, one assist, energy.

2. RW Tyler Shattock, Kamloops. Power game.

3. D Nick Ross, Kamloops. Intelligent and in control.

NEXT UP
The Prince George Cougars are in the house tonight. Game time is 7 o’clock.