Kamloops -Prince George

[scamperdog]

Rank B.C. Division GP W L OTL SL PTS PCT GF GA STK P10 PIM

Kamloops 72 40 26 4 2 86 0.597 245 222 0-4-1-1 2-6-1-1483
Prince George 72 33 31 3 5 74 0.514 221 217 0-2-0-0 5-4-0-1438

Blazers have been in a slump since the end of January, right about the same time they clinched a playoff spot and and it was given that they would have home ice advantage,
Since that time the team has gone through Ellerby "I'm bigger than the team" syndrome, The injury bug that they had escaped from all season hit like a bad plague, and then the flue which some players and staff are just getting over,
The good news for this team is that it is looking like everybody should be healthy for the playoffs, other than Alex Rodgers who is done for the season. Now Blazer fans can hope that the team can get some of its chemistry back in practise this week and be ready to go friday.
On paper this series should be an easy one for the Cougars as they are a team coming in playing there best hockey of the season and are this is suppose to be "There Year", From what I have seen of them, they looked pretty bad the first part of the year, but as Seto got healthy and picked up his play so did the rest of the team, so with that being the case, I think it is clear who the Blazers have to focus on, they get him of his game then they win the series if they don,t then it will be over fast, after Seto I just don't see many other PG players being leaders, of course the same could be said about the Blazers with Jorgenson as he goes they go and over the past month no other players seemed to want to step into that roll.
Keys for Kamloops in this series are to get there forcheck back, all season long it was the edge in most of there wins.
The forwards have to do a better job of helping out the defence,
Jorgy, Nixon, Macias, have to step it up the rest of team will then follow
Butler needs to step it up, control rebounds when called upon
Kassian, Hall, Deloronde and Mason need to hit everything in sight, make sure PG players are looking over there shoulder
And finally what could be the biggest factor between these teams goes to PG and that is the boredom factor, as they are the most boring hockey team in the WHL to watch play, if they can come in and play that style of hockey in the first game, the crowd and Blazers will be done in the first period.Its up to the Blazers to keep things moving fast and that will get them to the second round.

[Cougar Guy]

Well, I'll kick it off . . . Cougars in 6.

Should be a fun series either way and hopefully it is hard hitting and full of emotion. Go Cats!!!!!

[Kamfan]

Two months ago I would've said Blazers in 4 (no exaggeration).
A month ago, Blazers in 5.
Two weeks ago, Blazers in 7.
But today, Cougars in 6.

Sad but true.

[Blades 4 Life!]

With Setoguchi playing really well, helped the cougars chances of making it further in the playoffs. If Seto doesn't produce numbers in the playoffs the cougars will go no where.

[scamperdog]

Wrist injury may keep Macias out www.kamloopsnews.ca
by Gregg Drinnan

The Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars don’t open their first-round WHL playoff series until Friday.

But it’s safe to say the games are well underway.

According to the Blazers, defenceman Ray Macias has an “upper body injury” and that is about all that is being said.

What is known is that Macias, who led all WHL defencemen with 70 points, has his right wrist in a cast. He was injured during Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the host Thunderbirds when he and Seattle defenceman Benn Olson bumped in what apparently wasn’t even much of a collision. At the time, the Blazers thought Macias was only winded.

Now he is listed as day-to-day, although the buzz throughout the WHL is that the 20-year-old native of Long Beach, Calif., who is wrapping up his fourth season here, won’t play in this series.

If Macias can’t answer the bell — Games 1 and 2 in the best-of-seven affair go Friday and Saturday nights, 7 o’clock, at the Interior Savings Centre — Kamloops defencemen Victor Bartley and Keaton Ellerby will have to pick up their games another notch.

When Dean Clark, the Blazers’ general manager and head coach, was asked Monday what he liked down the club’s tepid stretch drive, he replied: “One of the best things was the play of Keaton Ellerby. . . . he will be our player of the month for March.

“His play really improves our team.”

With the Calgary Hitmen here March 2, Clark took Ellerby out of the lineup because of undisciplined play. Since then, Clark said, Ellerby has been much improved.

However, Macias is a right-hand shot, something that is key on the power play, which he quarterbacks. If he can’t play, right-winger Sasha Golin, a right-hand shot with power-play experience with the Portland Winter Hawks, may get some time at one point.

“It will also be good to have our power-play unit back together,” Clark added, noting that forwards Reid Jorgensen, Brock Nixon and Juuso Puustinen haven’t been in the lineup at the same time “for more than three weeks.”

“And,” Clark added, “all three are 100 per cent for the first time in a long time.”

The Blazers will keep defencemen Kurt Torbohm and Joel Woznikoski with them through this week. But they aren’t able to bring in defenceman Mark Schneider, whose midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings are involved in a semifinal series with the Winnipeg Wild. Brandon leads the best-of-five series 2-1 with Game 4 tonight.

Meanwhile, Prince George defenceman Jesse Dudas, who had 29 points in 32 games, may be having problems with a leg. Injuries limited him to 24 games last season and hampered him again this season. He didn’t make the Cougars’ last road swing, a three-game that wrapped up in Kelowna on Saturday.

The club said he was suffering from the flu. But the injury list on the WHL website shows Dudas as being day-to-day with a leg injury. However, there also are reports that Dudas went home to Edmonton on the weekend, perhaps to see a doctor, and that he hadn’t returned by Monday.

Also missing from the Cougars’ practice yesterday were centres Nick Drazenovic and Evan Fuller, both of whom were said to have the flu.

The Cougars also left winger Kyle Klym at home with what they said was the flu. But the WHL injury list shows Klym, who didn’t practise yesterday, as having a charley horse.

JUST NOTES: The Blazers spent part of Monday morning with retired Paralympian Kelly Smith. In the afternoon, the players did some video work and also had an off-ice workout. They will be back on the ISC ice this morning at 10. . . . Kamloops RW Tyler Shattock was ill again Monday but is expected to practise today.

[old_time_hockey]

I went with Cougs in 5.

With Ellerby AWOL, Macias HUGE ?, Butler is in the dumps.

Kraus and Bartley seem to do nothing but take penalites these days. It has just been crazy what happened to the Blazers this season.

[scamperdog]

Playoffs a day away and Blazers get hit with major loss



MACIAS OUT FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON

KAMLOOPS, BC – The Kamloops Blazers have lost the services of defenseman Ray Macias for the duration of the 2007 WHL playoffs due to a fractured scaphoid bone in his wrist.

The injury occurred on March 14th in Seattle. A final determination on the injury came today upon consultation with a specialist.

Macias recorded 30 goals and 70 points for the Blazers this year and led all WHL defensemen in points in the 2006-07 regular season.

[Sput]

Huge blow for the Blazers. At any other time of year fans and players alike will say 'injuries are just an excuse', but lets be realistic here. Macias is a huge player for the Blazers, so with him out, Jorgenson still pretty rusty after surgery, and the other dings and bangs the team has, it is a major factor.

Taking any top one or two players out of any team's lineup, at this time of year especially, is rough. We wait and see how things go, and it alllll starts tonight.
nhl

[scamperdog]

By GREGG DRINNAN www.blazerhockey.com
Daily News Sports Editor

On the eve of the WHL playoffs, Sasha Golin had a few words of advice for his teammates.

Golin and the Kamloops Blazers entertain the Prince George Cougars tonight and Saturday at the Interior Savings Centre in Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven first-round series. Game time both nights is 7 o'clock.

With 18 playoff games under his belt, all of them with the Portland Winter Hawks, Golin, a right winger, knows of what he speaks.

"One thing I can explain is that it's a completely different season," Golin said after Thursday's practice. "Playoffs . . . it's like something clicks. It's that intensity, that do or die . . . every game is your last. Every puck, every play . . . it's your life on the line.

"To the guys who didn't make playoffs last year and some of the younger guys, if I could express anything, it's 'Be prepared.' And don't get too high. If you win, you can't go into the next game being too high. If you lose, you can't be too low. You have to have an even keel.

"It's the best time of the year. I can't wait." Golin, an 18-year-old from Summerland who is in his third WHL season, is being asked to play a key role against the Cougars.

The Blazers' coaching staff knows that if the club is to have success in this series, it is going to have to stop the Cougars' line that features Chris Durand, Jared Walker and the high-flying Devin Setoguchi, whom the San Jose Sharks picked with the eighth selection of the NHL's 2005 draft.

In response, at least in home games where they enjoy the last change, the Blazers are expected to unleash a checking line comprising Brady Mason between Terrance Delaronde and Golin. Defencemen Ryan Bender and Ryan White will be used as the home team's shutdown pairing, as they have been over the last couple of months.

It is of interest that all six of those forwards came to their present teams from other organizations.

Setoguchi (Saskatoon Blades), Walker (Red Deer Rebels) and Durand (Seattle Thunderbirds) were acquired by Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson via the trade route. The Blazers picked up Delaronde (Regina Pats) and Mason (Everett Silvertips) after they had been released. Golin came over from Portland in January, in exchange for centre Matt Schmermund.

"I pride myself on being a pretty fast guy," Golin said. "I take time and space away with my speed. I'm not going to clutch and grab. If (Setoguchi) sees he has time, that's where he is most effective. Being on Setoguchi is definitely a key here." Golin said the game plan will be to take time and space away from Setoguchi, who torched the Blazers for 15 points in eight games.

"His type of player . . . he's very offensive and very talented," Golin said. "You can't give him time and hopefully we'll shut him down." With high-scoring defenceman Ray Macias (broken scaphoid in right wrist) finished for the season, Golin also may see some time on one point on the Kamloops power play. Golin, like Macias, is a right-hand shot; Golin also has some point experience from his time in Portland.

Golin said it doesn't matter where he plays, or what role he is asked to fill.

"We know we're wanting to do anything to win," he said. "I don't care if it's a scorer or (checking) role. The fans see the scorers go out and do whatever, but it's the other things . . . hopefully, we can shut down that key line. I know that if we get them frustrated our other lines are going to pick it up and score for us." At the same time, the Blazers know they have to play within themselves, especially without Macias, who led all WHL defencemen with 70 points.

"The simpler you keep things when you're a guy short, the easier it is to play," offered defenceman Keaton Ellerby. Dean Clark, the Blazers' general manager and head coach, has said Ellerby was his team's best player for the last couple of weeks, ever since he was benched for a March 2 visit by the Calgary Hitmen.

"I've been trying to keep it simple and limit the little mistakes that I was making earlier," Ellerby said. "I'm just trying to play hard and keep things simple." He will continue to try to play that way, knowing full well that without Macias in the lineup it's important no one tries to do too much.
Ellerby said he also is expecting this series to be physical.

"It's going to be a battle for sure," he said. "They don't mind playing physical and we obviously love playing physical. It's going to be a good series." And as a potential first-round selection in the NHL's 2007 draft, Ellerby has as much, if not more, riding on this spring's playoffs than anyone. The longer the Blazers play, the better it could be for him.

"I'm expecting good things for us," added Ellerby. "Everybody's feeling really well and has a good feeling about it."

=====

So . . . just how are other hockey people looking at the first-round WHL playoff series between the Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars that opens tonight at the Interior Savings Centre?

With Kelowna not having qualified for the playoffs, Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier asked Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt and assistants Ryan Huska and Kim Dillabaugh, along with play-by-play man Regan Bartel, to predict the outcome of the series.

Truitt: Kamloops isn't going into the playoffs on a big high. Still, with guys like Reid Jorgensen and Brock Nixon, and if (goaltender) Dustin Butler gets on his game, I like Kamloops. Blazers in six.

Huska: Prince George in six. The Cougars have been playing some very good hockey lately and the Blazers aren't.

Dillabaugh: Prince George in six. The Cougars have had good success lately, and their power play is dangerous. When it comes down to it, Prince George's power play will be the deciding factor.

Bartel: Cougars in six. The Blazers' 12-game winless streak on the road to end the season has me siding with Prince George. The first-round playoff curse in Kamloops will continue. The Blazers missed the playoffs last season. Prior to that they've been a first-round casualty six years running.

Potenteau: Blazers in six, though during the weekend I was leaning to Cougars in five. Why the change? Kamloops has a big edge in coaching, and, in a nutshell, I’m picking Jorgensen's grit over the skill of Devin Setoguchi.

-----

And here's how Greg Harder, who covers the WHL and the Regina Pats for the Regina Leader-Post, sees it: Kamloops wasn't supposed to be this good.

Prince George was supposed to be better. The Blazers played poorly down the stretch. The Cougars finally appear to be hitting their stride. Put it all together and you have an upset, right? Wrong. Crafty head coach Dean Clark gives Kamloops the edge. Blazers in seven.

-----

In practice this week, the Blazers had Travis Dunstall playing on the left wing with centre Brock Nixon and right-winger Juuso Puustinen.

That line showed some spark early in the season and the trio combined for seven points in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Oct. 9. Puustinen had two goals, Dunstall had two assists, and Nixon had a goal and two helpers.

After that game, Dunstall was suspended for two games and sent home for a week for being in violation of an undisclosed team rule.

Since then, the three rarely have played together.

-----

The Blazers had three players named to the Western Conference all-star team that was announced by the WHL yesterday.

Defenceman Ray Macias was selected to the first team, alongside Cody Franson of the Vancouver Giants.

Centres Reid Jorgensen and Brock Nixon are two of the three forwards on the second team.

This is the first time the Blazers have been represented on the conference's first all-star team since centre Erik Christensen was selected after the
2002-03 season.

The complete all-star teams are in Scoreboard.

-----

Three hours after the all-star teams were announced, the Blazers revealed that Macias won't play again this season.

The WHL's top-scoring defenceman suffered a broken scaphoid in his right wrist on March 14. He saw a specialist yesterday morning and the decision was made that his season was over.

As Macias is 20, it also means the end of his four-year WHL career.

-----

[Beaner]

Huge blow for Kamloops.

I didnt like their odds going into this series, with their play of late, and without Macias, I like it even less.

Cougars in 6.

[scamperdog]

Not the way you want to start the playoffs, by being the dominate team only to loose in overtime, but the Blazers managed that tonight with a 3-2 loss.
Difference in the game, special teams with PG scoring 2 powerplay goals while the Blazers only managed 1 and struggled on the powerplay all night, there penalty kill was ok at times and looked god awful at times, but at even strength Kamloops had control of the game. Cyr played a very strong game for PG stopping 37 shots while PG had 18 on Butler.
For the most part Kamloops did a good job on Seto, when he did get loose, he was a threat, but he was loosing his composure as the game went on,
Blazers are going to have to a lot better on the PP and PK if they want to win this series

Prince George Cougars 3 (OT) at Kamloops Blazers 2 - Status: Final OT
Mar 23, 2007 - Interior Savings Centre
1st Period
Scoring - No Scoring
Penalties - T. Wishart P.g (hooking) 4:55, T. Dunstall Kam (slashing) 9:26, R. Rapac P.g (hooking) 14:19

2nd Period
Scoring - 1. Prince George, D. Setoguchi (1) (T. Wishart, C. Durand) 5:08 PP
2. Kamloops, R. Jorgensen (1) (I. Rohac, C. Stretch) 6:53
3. Prince George, D. Tyrell (1) (G. Gardner) 11:52 PP
Penalties - K. Kraus Kam (interference) 4:29, K. Ellerby Kam (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 6:53, K. Sagert P.g (tripping) 8:44, K. Ellerby Kam (delay of game) 11:20, R. Jorgensen Kam (hooking) 12:34, D. Setoguchi P.g (interference) 14:08, R. Rapac P.g (interference) 19:31

3rd Period
Scoring - 4. Kamloops, C. Stretch (1) (T. Dunstall) 7:40 PP
Penalties - K. Ellerby Kam (interference) 4:12, C. Durand P.g (tripping) 7:17

OT Period
Scoring - 5. Prince George, N. Drazenovic (1) (E. Fuller, R. Rapac) 4:38
Penalties - D. Setoguchi P.g (holding) 0:13

P.G Shots: 6 6 3 3 TOTAL: 18
KAM Shots: 8 16 9 4 TOTAL: 37

Power Play Conversion
Prince George Cougars 2-6. Kamloops Blazers 1-7.

Goaltenders
Prince George Cougars
Cyr 1-0-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 64:38 SV: 35 GA: 2 [W]


Kamloops Blazers
Butler 0-0-1-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 64:38 SV: 15 GA: 3 [L]



Start : 7:05 PM
End : 9:34 PM
Attendance : 4517
Referee I: Cory McLean (7)
Referee II: Steve Papp (36)
LINESMAN I: Chris Dehaan (74)
LINESMAN II: Kris Hartley (81)

[scamperdog]

Drazenovic ends the suspense


by JIM SWANSON Citizen Sports Editor www.princegeorgecitizen.com

KAMLOOPS – This playoff series is only one game old, and already one player can walk around town wearing a cape.

Nick Drazenovic became an instant hero by scoring 4:38 into extra time to give the Prince George Cougars a 3-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers in Game 1 of this first-round matchup.

Game 2 is tonight, again at the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops. Game 3 is Tuesday at CN Centre in Prince George, with Game 4 the next evening.

The overtime – this is the real thing, no gimmicks with four-on-four or shootouts, just real hockey – provided a most-memorable moment for Drazenovic, 19, who picked up his first playoff point. He’d been held quiet in nine previous games, including four as a 15-year-old.

Drazenovic held the puck into the zone, got a shot away, then circled around to pick up the loose disc and slide it past Kamloops netminder Dustin Butler.

The Cougars now have home-ice advantage, at minimum a split here in Kamloops, and Drazenovic has something other than a zero in his playoff stats.

“I wasn’t really thinking about that, I just wanted to come out and play like I can,” said Drazenovic, who scored 30 goals as an 18-year-old but fell off to 18 this season. “It turned out I got (the first point) at a key moment.”

Because of Prince George’s veteran depth up front, Drazenovic is centering the third line. But it wasn’t until the final goal that the Cougars put that depth on display – Kamloops controlled most of this game, outshooting the visitors 37-18.

Not to be forgotten, Cougars goaltender Real Cyr passed his first WHL playoff test with flying colours. Cyr, making his first playoff start in his third season in the league, made 35 saves and had his team in position to win the game. If not for a third-period power-play goal that was the product of soft clearing attempts by his teammates, Cyr, who watched Scott Bowles play every minute of last spring’s Vancouver series, might’ve posted his first postseason victory without the white-knuckle pressure of overtime.

“We seemed a little bit relaxed and the guys didn’t really go at them,” said Cyr, sweat pouring off his face.

“In our end, guys were dropping down and blocking shots and clearing my rebounds. We stuck around and put one in at the end. Any butterflies I had early, the shots I got really helped get those out.

“(The coaches) mentioned that both of us are going to see action because it’s been working lately and the guys have been playing well with the switch. I tried not to be too surprised when (head coach Drew Schoneck) told me.”

The Cougars wouldn’t say if Cyr will get the call again tonight, but it’s hard not to figure that’s the plan.

Forget the Cougars-Blazers games you saw earlier this month, Prince George fans – Kamloops ran the show in this one in regulation. The Cats rode Cyr’s goalie pants and superior special teams to adjust the scoreboard in their favour.

“They were all over us tonight. They worked their butts off and took it to us in a few periods,” said Drazenovic.

“We have to be ready for (tonight). They didn’t give any time and space to any one of us, and time and space comes from hard work and using our speed. We need to use that.”

Two power-play goals in the second period, not to mention stellar goaltending by Cyr, gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead heading to the third. Devin Setoguchi and Dana Tyrell did the damage, with Reid Jorgensen – who else? – replying for the Blazers.

The Cougars were badly outplayed in the second, outshot 16-6, but Cyr and his goalpost held firm. A glove snare of an Ivan Rohac shot three minutes into the period was as good as anything Chris Mason was known for. Cyr was the best penalty killer on the ice, bailing out teammates with stellar pad saves and impeccable rebound control, getting help from his post on a late second-period shot by Travis Dunstall.

Butler was nowhere near as busy, but he couldn’t be faulted. The 19-year-old, also starting his first WHL playoff game, had no business stopping a cross-crease feed to Tyrell in the first period.

The Cougars played the third period like they were content to not get a shot on Butler, and it cost them. Kamloops forced deep turnovers on a power play, and 17-year-old C.J. Stretch tied it by banging home a rebound.

Referee Steve Papp, working the game with Cory McLean, handed Setoguchi a borderline holding penalty off a faceoff in the Kamloops zone just 13 seconds into overtime. The Cats killed it, but not without big saves from Mr. Cyr.

It was, indeed, a theme – Blazers shoot, Cyr stops, then smothers or safely directs any rebound.

“He’s played well (in Kamloops), but we’ve scored goals on him here, too,” said Kamloops coach Dean Clark.

“There were some games early in the year here where we had five or six on him. We had lots of chances and he made saves.

“But that’s the playoffs. We have to continue to do the same things. If they think we’re going to go away, they’re kidding themselves.”

Clark went through a lot of trouble to get the quintet of centre Brady Mason, left-winger Terrance Delaronde, right-winger Sasha Golin and defencemen Ryan White and Ryan Bender on the ice whenever Setoguchi jumped the boards. Delaronde was the designated shadow. Through one game, the strategy worked.

[scamperdog]

By GREGG DRINNAN www.blazerhockey.com
Daily News Sports Editor

An overtime goal by centre Nick Drazenovic won Friday night's WHL playoff game for Prince George but, when the lights went out on this one, the Cougars had goaltender Real Cyr to thank for the 3-2 WHL playoff victory.

Cyr continually bailed out his teammates - in front of 4,517 witnesses at the Interior Savings Centre - as the Kamloops Blazers outshot the visitors, 37-18.

The game was the first in a best-of-seven series, with Game 2 tonight, 7 o'clock, at The ATM.

Drazenovic, who is from Prince George, won this one at 4:38 of the first extra period, getting to the net and putting an Evan Fuller rebound behind Kamloops goaltender Dustin Butler.

The goal gave Drazenovic the first playoff point of his WHL career in his 10th postseason game.

"I wasn't really thinking about it," Drazenovic said. "I just wanted to come out and play as I can. It turned out I got it at a key moment." The goal came with the Cougars enjoying something of a mismatch, with Drazenovic, Fuller and Richard Rapac on the ice against the Blazers' Matt Kassian, Brendan Dowd and Tyler Shattock. While Drazenovic and Co. took a regular shift, the Kassian line didn't.

"On the winner, we had some guys leaving the zone which, in overtime you just can't do," offered Kamloops captain Reid Jorgensen. "We blocked a shot which was great, but then we sent three guys so it was pretty easy for them to get that goal."

The winner came after the Blazers weren't able to score on an overtime power play despite firing four shots at Cyr who, like Butler, was making the first postseason start of his career. Cyr, who is from Victoire, Sask., is in his third season with the Cougars.

Last spring, he watched from the bench as Scott Bowles played all of a five-game first-round loss to the Vancouver Giants.

During 2005-06, Cyr posted three shutouts against the Blazers, which is likely why he started last night. And, although the Cougars' staff wouldn't say, you know that he earned another start tonight.

"Who knows? He might be tired," Prince George general manager Dallas Thompson said with a smile.

Drazenovic added: "Goalies can win games for you and (Cyr) definitely did tonight." Cyr was at his best in stopping Jorgensen on a first-period breakaway - Jorgensen deked to his backhand but Cyr was having none of that - and with a stylish glove stop off Ivan Rohac three minutes into the second period.

The Cougars goaltender also stood his ground on a Kamloops power play midway through the second period with Brock Nixon and Juuso Puustinen hammering away from in close.

And Cyr got help from a post late in the second when Travis Dunstall rang the bell.

"We seemed a little bit relaxed . . . we really didn't go at them," Cyr said. "But when we were in our end the guys were dropping and blocking shots and clearing my rebounds. That helped us out. We stuck around and put one in at the end." The Cougars nursed a 2-1 lead into the third period despite having been outshot 24-12.

The tie was forged at 7:40 of the third when Kamloops centre C.J. Stretch, on a power play, found a loose puck between Cyr's legs in the crease and shoveled it under the goaltender.

The Blazers poured it on from there, too, as they outshot the visitors 9-3 in the third period.

Both of Prince George's goals had come via the power play, Devin Setoguchi, a right winger who plays a point with the man advantage, wristing a shot off the cross-bar, off Butlers back and in at 5:08 of the second period and left-winger Dana Tyrell driving to the net and putting in a centring pass from Greg Gardner not quite seven minutes later.

In between those two goals, Jorgensen scored from a scramble.

"They were all over us," Drazenovic admitted. "They worked their butts off tonight and they really took it to us. We've got to be ready (tonight). They didn't give any time and space to any one of us." The Blazers really did take it to the visitors, everywhere but on the scoreboard.

"For the most part," Jorgensen said, "our game was pretty good. We did a lot of good things. We had 37 shots. We didn't give them much 5-on-5. When you play like that, you're going to win most nights but they found a way tonight." The one thing that needs to improve for the home boys is the penalty killing. It was burned twice on six opportunities - although a delay of game penalty to defenceman Keaton Ellerby, on which Tyrell scored, shouldn't have been called as the puck glanced off glass on its way into the crowd - and now has been torched for 40 goals in the last 22 games.

As Dean Clark, the Blazers' GM and head coach, said, they also "need our scorers to score. But that's the playoffs." So is great goaltending.

"(Cyr) played well," Clark said. "We had lots of chances and he made the saves."

JUST NOTES: Referees Cory McLean and Steve Papp gave Prince George seven of 13 minor penalties. . . . It was Papp's first WHL playoff game. . . . The Cougars scratched D Lance Redden, LW Kyle Klym (charleyhorse), D Jesse Dudas (leg) and LW Steven Kajic. Dudas skated in the morning but wasn't deemed ready to play. . . . The Blazers went without D Joel Woznikoski, C Mark Hall, LW Alex Rodgers (shoulder), D Ray Macias (wrist) and D Kurt Torbohm. . . . The Daily News three stars: 1. Cyr, who kept this one close; 2. Jorgensen, who has shaken off any rust from three weeks on the sideline; and 3. Tyrell, who doesn't stop working.

- 07 -

=====

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor

Ray Macias never dreamt that his WHL career would end like this.

Macias, a 20-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., could only watch from the catwalk Friday night as his Kamloops Blazers opened a best-of-seven WHL first-round series with the Prince George Cougars at the Interior Savings Centre.

His season, his fourth with the Blazers, and his WHL career are over, thanks to a broken scaphoid in his right wrist.

"It's disappointing for sure . . . not to be able to show what I've got in the playoffs," Macias said as he watched last night's pregame warmup. "It's my last year and that's really disappointing."

Macias, who hadn't been seriously hurt during his WHL career, was injured in Game 70 of the regular season, a 3-2 loss to the Thunderbirds in Seattle on March 14. At that point, Macias hadn't missed a game this season.

He was hurt in the second period, when he bumped with Seattle defenceman Benn Olson, who actually began his career in Kamloops. Macias's wrist got jammed between the players' bodies.

"I knew something was wrong because I was in excruciating pain," Macias said. "I knew something had gone wrong; I just didn't know what."

The Blazers held out hope that Macias would be able to play again. Those hopes were dashed when Macias saw a specialist Thursday morning.


The scaphoid is a small bone located in the wrist joint. It is a key component in the wrist and when broken needs a long healing period.


Macias, who was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, said the next step is surgery, something that is likely to occur in Kamloops.

"It's just a matter of when and where," he said.

Macias, who led all WHL defencemen with 70 points, was named to the Western Conference's first all-star team on Thursday. That news arrived a short time after he learned his season was over.

"The all-star thing was kind of a little bright spot to (my day)," he said.

"But it's definitely not exciting at all right now.

"It's bad timing. It was one of those freak accidents, but that's hockey for you." The Avalanche has yet to sign Macias - he becomes a free agent if not signed by July 1 - but he indicated that talks are underway.

"You feel bad for the guy," Dean Clark, the Blazers' general manager and head coach, said. "He's the top scoring defenceman in the WHL. It's a tough way to end your career." Macias finished with Blazers totals of 66 goals and 118 assists, for 184 points, in 280 regular-season games.

JUST NOTES: Last night's referees were Cory McLean and Steve Papp. It was the first time this season that pairing has worked a game involving the Blazers. . . . An interested observer at Game 1 was Vancouver-based businessman Tom Gaglardi, who headed up a group of ex-Blazers who attempted to purchase the franchise for $6 million last summer. . . . Blazers buzzcuts were in vogue on the concourse last night. Shane Zulyniak, the Blazers' assistant GM/assistant coach, said one 'customer' handed over $900. "We could make $20,000 on this," Zulyniak said. All money raised is going to the Royal Inland Hospital cancer fund. . . . In series that it starts on the road, Prince George is 2-8. Both series victories came in 1997. . . . The Cougars' all-time series record is 5-8, but they have lost their last five series. . . . After losing the 1999 WHL championship final to the Clark-coached Calgary Hitmen, the Blazers lost six straight first-round series before not qualifying for the playoffs last season. . . . The ECHL's Idaho Steelheads have signed C Steve Gillen, 20, who captained the Moose Jaw Warriors this season. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have announced the resignation of assistant coach Rob Trumbley and athletic therapist Jerrit Senft, both of whom cited personal reasons for leaving. According to the Blades, assistant David Struch and part-timers Dave Chartier and Jerome Engele remain with the team.

[scamperdog]

Blazers did alot of things right tonight, but again lost in ot, biggest difference in the game and series so far is goaltending PG is getting it, and Kamloops is not, below average goaltending by Butler tonight was the difference and if that doesn't improve it will be all over wed night.


Prince George Cougars 5 (OT) at Kamloops Blazers 4 - Status: Final OT
Mar 24, 2007 - Interior Savings Centre
1st Period
Scoring - 1. Prince George, E. Hunter (1) (D. Tyrell) 5:36 SH
2. Kamloops, T. Delaronde (1) (C. Stretch, K. Ellerby) 6:37 PP
3. Prince George, E. Hunter (2) (D. Tyrell, T. Wishart) 19:05 PP
4. Kamloops, I. Rohac (1) (K. Ellerby, R. White) 19:50
Penalties - S. Golin Kam (tripping) 1:40, E. Hunter P.g (roughing) 2:40, C. Stretch Kam (roughing) 2:40, R. Rapac P.g (interference) 4:44, G. Gardner P.g (roughing) 8:01, I. Rohac Kam (roughing) 8:01, D. Setoguchi P.g (interference) 9:50, E. Hunter P.g (interference) 14:08, J. Puustinen Kam (interference) 18:36, E. Fuller P.g (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 19:50, T. Delaronde Kam (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 19:50

2nd Period
Scoring - 5. Kamloops, R. Jorgensen (2) (C. Stretch, V. Bartley) 0:19
6. Kamloops, K. Ellerby (1) (J. Puustinen, B. Nixon) 1:15 PP
7. Prince George, N. Drazenovic (2) 9:25 SH
8. Prince George, R. Rapac (1) (N. Drazenovic, E. Fuller) 15:09
Penalties - K. Sagert P.g (hooking) 0:35, T. Delaronde Kam (holding) 3:50, N. Drazenovic P.g (hooking) 7:00, V. Mihalik P.g (interference) 7:51, D. Tyrell P.g (delay of game) 10:24, C. Stretch Kam (delay of game) 10:24, C. Stretch Kam (inter. on goaltender) 12:33, G. Gardner P.g (tripping) 12:38, V. Bartley Kam (clipping) 17:55

3rd Period
Scoring - No Scoring
Penalties - J. Rowley Kam (holding) 8:01, V. Bartley Kam (delay of game) 9:25, E. Fuller P.g (slashing) 12:37, T. Dunstall Kam (slashing) 12:37

OT Period
Scoring - 9. Prince George, D. Setoguchi (2) 4:17
Penalties - No Penalties

P.G Shots: 8 9 10 3 TOTAL: 30
KAM Shots: 12 23 7 2 TOTAL: 44

Power Play Conversion
Prince George Cougars 1-7. Kamloops Blazers 2-7.

Goaltenders
Prince George Cougars
Cyr 2-0-0-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 64:17 SV: 40 GA: 4 [W]


Kamloops Blazers
Butler 0-0-2-0 Start: 1st 0:00 Min: 64:17 SV: 25 GA: 5 [L]



Start : 7:03 PM
End : 9:45 PM
Attendance : 4463
Referee I: Trevor Hrycuik (71)
Referee II: Chris Savage (77)
LINESMAN I: Chris Carlson (92)
LINESMAN II: Brandon Liefke (29) www.whl.ca

Copyright 2006 The Western Hockey League. Powered by Leaguestat.com

[Cougar Guy]

Was the reffing as bad as it sounded over the radio? It seemed like you didn't know what the heck was going to be called and who was actually getting the penalties.

Anyway, the Coogs found a way to pull it out yet again and like you said scamperdog, the goaltending has been the difference. Cyr has a 92.6% save percentage right now and a GAA of 3.00. Butler is sitting with a 83.3% save percentage and a GAA of 4.00. Now that being said, it sounds like the Cougars haven't really been challenged in tight and perhaps the Kamloops D has been absent in clearing guys out from in close?

Sounded like fewer quality chances tonight from the Blazers than last night. It sure sounded like Friday was the "one that got away" more so than tonight. The sports director from NL Radio (at least I think that's who it was) was doing colour for the Cougars broadcasts this weekend and it was his opinion that the shots were not totally indicitave of the play? Obviously the Blazers got more rubber at the Cougar net, but losing 2 games in a row at home would seem to indicate that there are more problems than just not getting the bounces.

I wouldn't be surprised to see PG blow the doors wide open on Tuesday. They have to be JACKED coming home up 2-0.

[scamperdog]

Was the reffing as bad as it sounded over the radio? It seemed like you didn't know what the heck was going to be called and who was actually getting the penalties.

Anyway, the Coogs found a way to pull it out yet again and like you said scamperdog, the goaltending has been the difference. Cyr has a 92.6% save percentage right now and a GAA of 3.00. Butler is sitting with a 83.3% save percentage and a GAA of 4.00. Now that being said, it sounds like the Cougars haven't really been challenged in tight and perhaps the Kamloops D has been absent in clearing guys out from in close?

Sounded like fewer quality chances tonight from the Blazers than last night. It sure sounded like Friday was the "one that got away" more so than tonight. The sports director from NL Radio (at least I think that's who it was) was doing colour for the Cougars broadcasts this weekend and it was his opinion that the shots were not totally indicitave of the play? Obviously the Blazers got more rubber at the Cougar net, but losing 2 games in a row at home would seem to indicate that there are more problems than just not getting the bounces.

I wouldn't be surprised to see PG blow the doors wide open on Tuesday. They have to be JACKED coming home up 2-0.
Refs did make some strange calls, but I don't think they were a factor in the game, Blazers are getting lots of shots and the Pg defence is bending but they are still managing to make sure Cyr sees the puck, Blazers still had the edge in play last night but not as much as game 1, as for bounces they are all going PG's way, A big factor in the games though is you can tell PG is older and more experienced and that is coming through when it matters the most.
Another bright note for PG is the amount of fans that came down for the games, very loud and proud, and that showed that the people still care about the cougars

[scamperdog]

Blazers on last legs after blowing late lead
by Mark Hunter

PRINCE GEORGE — This time, the Kamloops Blazers did it to themselves.

The Blazers lost Game 3 of their first-round best-of-seven WHL playoff series Tuesday, 4-3 to the Prince George Cougars at CN Centre. The Cougars lead the series 3-0, with Game 4 scheduled for tonight in Prince George.

Kamloops deserved to lose this one, unlike the first two games. In Games 1 and 2, the Blazers were, by far, the better team, outshooting Prince George 81-48 combined in the two games played in Kamloops.

That wasn’t the case in Game 3, when bad penalties and inconsistent play helped push the Blazers to the brink. And the fact that the Blazers got all their offence from one line, the trio of Reid Jorgensen, C.J. Stretch and Ivan Rohac, didn’t help matters.

“We need other guys on our team to step up,” said Dean Clark, head coach and general manager of the Blazers. “They’re getting good production from all three of their lines and we’re getting production from one line.”

The Blazers were the better team in Game 3, but only for about 25 minutes. In the other 35, Kamloops couldn’t stop the line of Devin Setoguchi, Jared Walker and Chris Durand.

Walker had two goals and set up the winner, scored by Setoguchi, his third of the series. All told, the line combined for seven points, and three key goals.

“We know that they’ve got a lot of top guys over there — it doesn’t matter who’s out there, we have to take their time and space away,” said Blazers defenceman Victor Bartley.

Kamloops was playing well late in the third but, as is often the case, it was a penalty that changed the momentum. Bartley took a holding minor, with Kamloops up 3-2. Walker scored his second of the game to tie it with 5:46 remaining.

With the crowd still buzzing, Walker and Setoguchi broke in and . . .

“It was a 2-on-2 and (Setoguchi) blew by his guy and I saucered it over to him and he poked it between the goalie’s legs,” Walker said.

Jorgensen, Stretch and Ryan White scored for the Blazers. A goal from Greg Gardner, along with Walker’s pair and Setoguchi’s winner, made up the Prince George offence.

“We came out in the first period and took a few stupid penalties at the end,” said Bartley. “Overall, our penalty kill wasn’t up to par, as usual.”

The Cougars could have taken the lead early in the second period, when Setoguchi clanked two shots off the right post on a long five-on-three. Setoguchi was stuck in a rut of bad luck for much of the game, getting at least three partial breakaways, but was unable to convert any.

Combine those with the two posts, and Setoguchi was quite relieved to see his tipped shot get through the legs of Dustin Butler.

“I thought maybe sooner or later, a puck was bound to go in,” Setoguchi said. “I felt like I was all over them in the offensive zone and nothing was going in for me.”

The Blazers only managed to get 20 shots on Real Cyr, who was just average in the Prince George goal. Butler made 31 saves for the Blazers.

If home ice proved to be no advantage for the Blazers in the first two games, it was a big plus for the Cougars in Game 3.

A total of 4,504 people made their way through the turnstiles, by far the biggest crowd of the season in Prince George — the previous high was 4,172 on Teddy Bear Toss night, Dec. 16.

And while packing a building is well and good, the fans who came out and supported the Cougars were rowdy enough for the players to notice.

“I’m still excited right now,” said Walker. “It’s fun to play in front of that many people. You can’t help but get jacked up for these kinds of games.”

Some of those fans may be bringing brooms to the next game.

JUST NOTES: Referees Andy Thiessen and Andrew Guest gave the Blazers seven of the 12 minor penalties and five of the 12 power plays. The Blazers were 1-for-5 with the man advantage, while the Cougars were 2-for-7. . . . Each team made one lineup change from the previous two games. The Blazers scratched LW Brady Mason and dressed C Mark Hall for his first career playoff game. Prince George LW Richard Rapac was replaced in the lineup by LW Steven Kajic. The Cougars said Rapac got food poisoning, but he actually hurt his knee after taking a low hit from Bartley. Bartley was assessed a minor penalty for clipping on the play. . . . The Blazers scratched Mason, D Joel Woznikoski, LW Alex Rodgers (shoulder), D Ray Macias (wrist) and D Kurt Torbohm. . . . The Cougars scratched Rapac, LW Kyle Klym (leg), D Jesse Dudas (leg) and D Lance Redden. . . . The Blazers haven’t won on the road since Jan. 24 in Seattle, a span of 11 games.

www.kamloopsnews.ca

[scamperdog]

Sucks to loose in four straight, but at least all four were good games that could have gone either way, Seto made all the difference for PG, this kid when he is on his game is something else, as for the Blazers, not having Macias in the line up was huge, as just like Seto his presents could have made a difference in a couple of the games, My only complaint about the series was the refs in last nights game, an embarasment to the league, but at least both teams got served the same BS,
And now it is time for " Go Canucks Go"