Kamloops Blazers’ captain Matt Needham tips in a shot from Ryan Rehill for the Blazers’ first goal in Saturday’s 4-2 win at Sandman Centre. Needham returned from a one-game suspension to lead his team to victory behind his hat trick. Allen Douglas/KTW
The Kamloops Blazers will attempt to go three-for-three this weekend when the Seattle Thunderbirds come to town for a 6 p.m. game on Sunday at Sandman Centre.
The contest will be the third in three nights for Kamloops, with the Blazers travelling to Washington state Friday to defeat the Everett Silvertips 3-2 in overtime before driving back to the Tournament Capital to knock off the visiting Vancouver Giants 4-2 on Saturday night.
The two wins leave Kamloops at 67 points, tied with Spokane for the two Western Conference wildcard spots and four points clear of the Tri-City Americans, the only team that can catch Kamloops and Spokane in the wildcard race.
The Blazers also pulled within three points of the Prince George Cougars, who sit third in the B.C. Division.
Against Vancouver, captain Matt Needham returned from a one-game suspension (due to a kneeing major in a previous game) to record a hat trick, with Collin Shirley adding a goal. Shirley and Ryan Rehill had two assists, with Deven Sideroff adding a helper.
Vancouver outshot Kamloops 40 to 28, with goaltender Connor Ingram making 38 saves for the win before 3,887 fans.
In Everett, the Blazers led 2-0 on goals by Revel and Quinn Benjafield before the Silvertips tied the contest with 31 seconds left in the third period.
Sideroff then won the game — a tame affair with only eight minutes in penalties — 1:25 into overtime.
Everett outshot Kamloops 36 to 27, with Blazer netminder Ingram turning aside 34 shots. The Silvertips attracted 4,612 fans to the game at Xfinity Arena.
ICE CHIPS — Following Sunday’s home game against Seattle, the Blazers will host Spokane Wednesday at 7 p.m. and Kelowna Friday at 7 p.m.