Minten's four assists pace first-place Blazers in 5-2 win over Victoria

Photo: Tricia Mercuri/Kamloops Blazers

Matthew Seminoff converted a Fraser Minten pass in WHL action on Monday at Sandman Centre. Seminoff scored twice on the night, while Minten put up four assists for the Kamloops Blazers in a 5-2 win over the Victoria Royals..

Rookie Fraser Minten had four assists Monday as the Kamloops Blazers extended their B.C. Division bubble lead with a 5-2 win over the Victoria Royals inside an empty Sandman Centre.

Matthew Seminoff scored twice, with Connor Levis, Tye Spencer and Dylan Kuefler picking up the other Kamloops goals.

Brandon Cutler and Tarun Fizer scored for Victoria.

Kamloops goalie Dylan Garand stopped 24 of 26 Victoria shots in the win, while Royals netminder Adam Evanoff made 28 saves on 33 Kamloops shots.

Victoria scored once on five power plays, while the Blazers converted twice on four opportunities.

The Blazers are now 14-4 on the pandemic-shortened bubble season, good for top spot in the WHL’s B.C. Division, four wins ahead of the Vancouver Giants.

Kamloops is also tops in the division in win percentage at .778, half a per cent better than the Kelowna Rockets, who sit at .773 with an 8-2 record after having missed two weeks due to COVID-19 infections.

The Blazers and the Royals will hit the ice for a rematch on Thursday at Prospera Place in Kelowna, Victoria’s bubble home.