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Blazers score early, often in 7-4 win over Royals in Victoria

Blazers too much for Royals

Matthew Seminoff, Fraser Minten, Logan Stankoven and Olen Zellweger combined for 13 points Friday in the provincial capital as the Kamloops Blazers quelled a comeback and beat the Victoria Royals 7-4.

Seminoff (2), Stankoven (2), Caedan Bankier and Minten (2) were the goal scorers for the Blazers. Robin Sapousek, Alex Edwards, Riley Gannon and Teydon Trembecky scored for the Royals.

The Blazers jumped out to a 3-0 first-period lead and led 6-2 midway through the second. Victoria scored two more to cut the lead in half but that was as close as they would get.

Stankoven scored an empty-netter from centre ice with 1:43 remaining to make it a 7-4 final.

Dylan Ernst was solid in net for the Blazers, stopping 26 of 30 Victoria shots to earn his WHL-leading 24th win of the season. Braden Holt made 39 saves on 45 Kamloops shots in a losing effort.

The Blazers scored twice on five power-play opportunities. The Royals converted once on three chances.

Seminoff (2G, 2A), Minten (2G, 1A), Stankoven (2G, 1A) and Zellweger (3A) finished with multiple points.

Announced attendance at Save-On Foods Memorial Arena was 4,252.

With the win, the Blazers improve to 27-9-4-2 on the season, still first place in the WHL’s B.C. Division and second in the Western Conference, eight points back of the first-place Seattle Thunderbirds (33-7-1-1), who were also victorious on Friday night.

The loss moves the Royals to 13-28-4-1, last in the five-team B.C. Division and ninth out of 10 teams in the Western Conference.

The Blazers and Royals will do it again on Saturday in Victoria. The next Blazers home game will be on Wednesday, when the Portland Winterhawks (31-8-2-1) visit Sandman Centre.



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