Kamloops,
BC- The Kamloops Blazers threw the kitchen sink and then some at Eric
Comrie tonight.
But Comrie kicked
everything back at the Blazers except one, as the Tri-City Americans
(23-15-1-2, 49 pts) came back from a first period deficit to defeat the
Kamloops Blazers (28-11-2-2, 60 pts) 3-1 in the Interior
Savings Centre.
Comrie played
outstanding, stopping 34 of 35 shots and withstanding seven power plays, killing
off six of them.
Tri-City snaps a
four game losing streak in Kamloops and halts the Blazers three game overall win
streak.
Kamloops dominated
the first period, outshooting Tri-City 14-6 in the first period. The Blazers got
off to a quick start as Tim Bozon scored on a power play less than three minutes
into the game. Tri-City did not have many chances while Kamloops got a lot of
chances, including three power play opportunities. But Comrie held strong and
only allowed the one goal heading into the second period.
Tri-City gained
some momentum in the second period. The Americans killed off three penalties in
a row, and finally got on the scoreboard midway through the period as Michal
Plutnar fired a slap shot from the point through traffic into the top left
corner of the net on the power play to tie the game at one. Comrie was stellar
in the second, making an awesome glove save and stopping a breakaway to keep the
game tied heading into the third period.
The Americans
carried the second period momentum into the third. A shot by a Tri-City defender
would bounce off the back wall to Beau McCue in front of the net, slapping home
a shot to give Tri-City their first lead of the game 30 seconds into the third.
Kamloops threw 10 shots at Comrie in the
period and stopped them all. Justin Feser would seal the win by scoring an empty
net goal at the end of the period to cap off the victory.
Feser's goal moves
him into fifth place alone on the Americans all-time goals list and brings him
within one goal of tying Brent Ascroft for fourth on the all-time goals list.
Kamloops goaltender
Cole Cheveldave made 24 stops in the loss.
