Some notes on a cool afternoon . . .

It's not the day after Thanksgiving, but here are a few leftovers from Friday’s WHL game between the Vancouver Giants and the Blazers in Kamloops:
If you see any photos from the game, which Kamloops won 2-1 in a shootout, you will notice the Blazers are wearing primarily pink uniforms. This was part of a promotion in support of the battle against breast cancer. The game jerseys, as well as jerseys belonging to co-owners Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor, are being auctioned off at the Blazers’ website through October. . . . If you visit the Blazers’ website you will find the present bids for each jersey and an email address where bids are being accepted. . . .
In his last two starts against the Giants, Kamloops G Justin Leclerc has stopped 105 of 107 shots and posted two victories – 3-1 and 2-1 in a shootout. That is a .981 save percentage, if you’re keeping track. . . .
The Blazers are carrying 25 players, including eight defencemen and 15 forwards. Two of the forwards – Dalibor Bortnak (spleen) and Colin Smith (broken arm) – are out until late this month. On Friday, for the first time this season, Kamloops dressed seven defencemen and 11 forwards, although D Josh Caron spent most of his limited playing time on a forward line. . . .
The Blazers go into Saturday’s game with a 5-1-0-0 record. Last season, they didn’t win their fifth game until Oct. 22. That victory left them with a 5-8-0-2 record. . . . The last time the Blazers won five of their first six games? In 2001-02, they opened with five straight victories, lost the sixth game, then won two more to go to 7-1. . . .
Through six games, Kamloops has been outshot 243-172. Yes, the Blazers are surrendering an average of 40 shots per game and that’s about 15 more than championship-calibre teams will give up. In four of the games, the Blazers have been outshot 40-32, 49-23, 40-26 and 48-28. They are 3-1-0-0 in those games. . . . Kamloops is 2-0 in one-goal games and 2-0 in two-goal games. . . . Kamloops head coach Barry Smith keeps saying he isn't perturbed by the shots allowed because, he says, the Blazers aren't giving up an over-abundance of scoring chances. But those outside shots have a tendency to turn into rebounds and if an opposing team is going to go hard to the net, well, how long can the goaltender hold the fort?
This is the first three-game weekend of the season for Kamloops, which is at home to the Portland Winterhawks on Sunday. The Blazers will have only one other three-game weekend this season. In the other, they will go home-and-home with the Kelowna Rockets on Feb. 12 and 13 and visit the Tri-City Americans on Feb. 14. . . . The Blazers play eight of their first 11 games on home ice before heading out on a six-game East Division swing that opens Oct. 16 in Regina against the Pats. . . .
G Kurtis Mucha, 20, is expected to start for the Winterhawks on Sunday in Kamloops. If he does, he will be making his 200th regular-season appearance for the Winterhawks. The WHL record for most games played by a goaltender is 233, held by Kyle Moir (Swift Current, 2002-07). Mucha needs to get to 209 games played to get into the top 10:
233 – Moir.
229 – Jeff Calvert, Moose Jaw-Tacoma (1989-94).
225 – Aaron Sorochan, Prince Albert-Vancouver-Lethbridge (2000-05).
224 – Danny Lorenz, Seattle (1986-90).
215 – Steve Passmore, Tri-City-Victoria-Kamloops (1988-94).
213 – Bryan Bridges, Kootenay-Seattle (2001-06).
211 – Dale Masson, Kamloops-Victoria (1989-94).
Joey Perricone, Moose Jaw (2003-08).
209 – Trevor Robins, Saskatoon-Brandon (1989-93).
208 – Evan Lindsay, Tri-City-Prince Albert (1995-2000).
(NOTE: If you look at the WHL record book for most games played by a goaltender (Page 229 of the 2008-09 Guide), it has Steve Passmore with 215 games played and 210 games played. Delete the second entry, which ignores five games he played with the Tri-City Americans.)
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Mucha, by the way, has lost his last six starts in Kamloops. Portland, with him in goal, beat the host Blazers 3-2 on Feb. 24, 2006. Mucha made 21 saves in that one, which featured Devan Dubnyk in goal for the Blazers. . . . Since then, Mucha and the Winterhawks are 0-6 in Kamloops, losing 6-3, 8-0, 4-0, 6-4, 8-6 and 5-4. The winning goaltenders, in order, were Mike Maniago, Dalyn Flette, James Priestner, Justin Leclerc, Jon Groenheyde and Leclerc.
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Now it's back to the Twins and Royals.