Blazers box

THE SCORE
Kamloops 8, Portland 6

WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers, having lost at home to the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling
Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, weren’t about to do the same against the
Western Conference’s last-place team. The Blazers owned this game until they
stopped playing midway through the third period.

THE STANDINGS
The Blazers (18-21-1-4) moved into fifth place in the Western Conference.
They had been tied with the Everett Silvertips, whose home game with the
Tri-City Americans started 90 minutes late when the visitors had problems
getting to the arena.

THE COACHES
The head coaches in this one, Barry Smith of Kamloops and Mike Johnston of
Portland, are friends. They worked together on the coaching staff of the
NHL’s Vancouver Giants at one time and were seen telling tales in the
dressing room area two hours before the game.

THE DEBUT
D Josh Caron, a third-round pick in the 2006 bantam draft, played his first
game with the Blazers. The 17-year-old Campbell River native has 16 points
and 182 penalty minutes with the junior B Kamloops Storm. Although he needed
repairs afterward, he held his own in a marathon slugfest with Portland
heavy Tayler Jordan.

THE ROSTER
Each WHL team is allowed to include three 20-year-old players and two import
players on its roster. The Winter Hawks don’t have any 20-year-olds and are
carrying only one import — Czech F Radim Valchar.

THE BROTHERS
Kamloops D Nick Ross, 19, and Portland F Brad Ross, 16, are brothers, but
they didn’t get to play against each other. The Winter Hawks scratched Ross,
who played for Team Pacific at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Port
Alberni and came back sore after blocking a shot late in the tournament.

THE GOALTENDER
Portland G Kurtis Mucha tied Lanny Ramage’s franchise record with his 175th
career appearance last night. Mucha will break the record if he plays Friday
in Kelowna against the Rockets. Mucha also holds the franchise records for
shots faced and saves.

THE HEAD SCOUT
Garry Davidson, Portland’s director of player personnel, was in the
building, as was his son, Ty, who is one of the team’s B.C. scouts. Garry
was a veteran of the BCHL wars, as an owner, general manager and head coach,
before becoming part of the new regime in Portland.

THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS

1. LW Alex Rodgers, Kamloops. Went to the net and got results.

2. D Kurt Torbohm, Kamloops. Solid on a crazy night.

3. LW Luke Walker, Portland. Two goals.

NEXT UP
The Blazers play host to the Chilliwack Bruins on Friday, 7 p.m., with the
teams meeting again the next night in Chilliwack.