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scamperdog
12-02-2006, 01:53 AM
12/01/06 - Blazers Shutdown Rockets 5-0

Dustin Butler made 11 saves for his 4th shutout of the season, and 10th of his career, as the Blazers posted a 5-0 win over the Rockets last night at Interior Savings Centre.

Ryan White, Matt Kassian, Brock Nixon (PP), Ray Macias (SH), and Juuso Puustinen (PP) supplied the offense as they outshot the Rockets 36-11 on the night.

Kristofer Westblom took the loss in allowing 4 goals on 26 shots in the first 2 periods. Torrie Jung mopped up in the third period.

The Blazers went 2-for-7 on the PP and 4-for-4 on the PK.

Scoring

1. KAM White, (2) (Mason, Kassian), 18:25
2. KAM Kassian, (3) (Mason, Macias), 1:20
2. KAM Nixon, (19) (Puustinen, Macias), 11:38 (PP)
2. KAM Macias, (11) (Nixon), 16:24 (SH)
3. KAM Puustinen, (12) (White, Nixon), 14:15 (PP)


Penalties
1 - KAM Rohac, 0:28 - High Sticking , 2 min (PP)
1 - KAM Macias, 2:02 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
1 - KEL Schenn, 5:17 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
2 - KEL Joe, 10:58 - Boarding , 2 min (PP)
2 - KAM Schmermund, 15:01 - Tripping , 2 min (PP)
2 - KEL Ofukany, 18:56 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
3 - KEL Dowzak, 5:10 - Elbowing , 2 min (PP)
3 - KEL Schenn, 7:37 - High Sticking , 2 min (PP)
3 - KAM Puustinen, 10:12 - Roughing , 2 min (PP)
3 - KEL McEwan, 13:14 - Slashing , 2 min (PP)
3 - KEL McEwan, 13:14 - Instigator , 2 min
3 - KEL McEwan, 13:14 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - KEL McEwan, 13:14 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
3 - KEL Schenn, 13:14 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 10 min
3 - KAM Delaronde, 13:14 - Interference , 2 min
3 - KAM Delaronde, 13:14 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
3 - KEL Breitkreuz, 14:53 - Hooking , 2 min (PP)
3 - KAM Kassian, 15:30 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 10 min
Three Stars
1. KAM - 21 Matt Kassian
2. KAM - 28 Raymond Macias
3. KAM - 31 Dustin Butler

Portions from www.blazerhockey.com

scamperdog
12-02-2006, 03:59 PM
12/02/06 - Blazers Solid vs. Rockets (Kamloops Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN www.blazerhockey.com

Daily News Sports Editor

Bruce Hamilton, the governor, president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets, stood on the catwalk above the Interior Savings Centre ice surface and surveyed the carnage.

"I don't know," he said, "if I've ever seen my team get outworked so badly." And that was after only one period of Friday's WHL game in which Kamloops buried the Rockets 5-0 before 4,435 fans, the third-smallest crowd to attend any of the Blazers' 15 home games.

The teams complete the home-and-home set tonight in Kelowna, with the second-place Blazers (18-7-1-1) returning home to face the B.C. Division-leading Vancouver Giants (22-2-2-2) on Sunday. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Blazers, who hadn't played in a week, didn't show much rust as they came out and really took it to the visitors.

Although they emerged from the first period with only a 1-0 lead, the Blazers held a 19-3 advantage in shots. And that set the tone for a second period in which they scored three times on seven shots.

"From the last two times we lost to them, we wanted to come out fast," said Kamloops defenceman Ray Macias, who had a brilliant shorthanded goal and two assists, including the 100th regular-season helper of his career. "We wanted to get pucks deep and pound on their defence and we did that tonight."


Right-winger Matt Kassian, who had a goal and an assist, added: "We wanted to have a good start, especially with the long layoff that we had. You can tend to get a little bit rusty and we didn't want that. We wanted to come out and set the tone for tonight and for the weekend." The Rockets (8-16-1-2) have played four games here this season, winning two by 5-4 scores, one in overtime, and losing 3-0 and, of course, 5-0. Kassian admitted the two losses really stung.

"They came in here and stole two games from us," he said. "We knew we couldn't let that happen again. A division game against Kelowna . . . who has absolutely been running our show at home and in their home for the last four years, since before I came here.

"We needed to set the tone for the rest of the season." Time will tell if that's how it works out. But the Blazers definitely set a whole lot of tone last night, starting with a terrific energy-filled opening shift from Ivan Rohac, Matt Schmermund and Brenden Dowd.

"They outworked us from the first drop off the puck to the last," Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt said. "With about 11 seconds left in the third period they won a battle underneath our goal line and threw it out front. That was their night and the lack of ours.

"We knew they were going to come out hard to avenge the last time we were here. But you have to compete and stand up for 60 minutes and bring the intensity that you need. I thought this was a real bad effort from start to finish from our team." Centre Brock Nixon also had a goal, his 19th, and two assists for the Blazers, who fired 36 shots at two Kelowna goaltenders. Torrie Jung replaced Kris Westblom after the second period, more to rest Westblom for tonight's start than anything else.

Defenceman Ryan White added a goal and an assist for the first two-point night of his career. He had three assists in 40 games last season; this season, in 26 games, he has two goals and four helpers.

Right-winger Juuso Puustinen closed out the scoring with a power-play goal at 14:15 of the third period.

Kamloops goaltender Dustin Butler, who is 9-0-0-0 in The ATM this season, stopped 11 shots, including just two in the third period, for his fourth shutout. He has been tested 11 times in two of them ‹ the franchise record for fewest saves in a shutout. Butler now is 15-3-0-0 since coming over from the Portland Winter Hawks in an early-season trade.

The Rockets' best scoring chance came late in the third period when left-winger Troy Ofukany fanned while staring into an open net off the right post.


Even with the dominant performance, Kassian said he and his mates know the season still isn't half over. They know, too, that they are far from finished with the Rockets.

"We still have to go there five times," Kassian said. "That's a lot of hockey left against these guys. They're a decent hockey team. They're a lot better than their record and they work hard. If you give them opportunities, they are going to win games." There weren't many opportunities for the visitors on this night.

JUST NOTES: Referee Pat Smith gave the Rockets eight of 13 minors, one of two majors, one of two misconducts and a game misconduct. . . . "It's a great milestone, especially playing with the tradition of the Blazers," Macias said of his 100th assist. "It's pretty exciting." . . . Kelowna RW Craig Cuthbert was being checked for a possible concussion after a third-period hit from Kamloops RW Terrance Delaronde, who was penalized for interference on the play and set upon by Rockets enforcer James McEwan.


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THE SCORE
Kamloops 5, Kelowna 0

WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers had one of their best starts this season and were in complete control of this one from the drop of the puck as they blanked the Rockets for the second time.

THE PENALTY KILLERS
Kamloops D Ray Macias scored the club's eighth shorthanded goal of the season and that leads the WHL.

THE MILESTONE
Macias drew assists on two of the Blazers' first three goals, with the second one - off a power-play goal by Brock Nixon - the 100th of his WHL career.

THE SCHEDULE
This was the Rockets' fourth visit to Kamloops this season; the Blazers are scheduled to visit Kelowna for the first time tonight. The Rockets make their last trip here Jan. 5.

THE CALENDAR
The Blazers came out of November with a 17-7-1-1 record. They were 1-2-0-0 in September, 8-2-1-1 in October and 8-3-0-0 in November.

THE OFFENCE
The Rockets are on pace to score 155 goals and that would be a franchise record for offensive futility. The record low is the 185 goals scored in 2003-04.

THE RANKINGS
The Blazers are N0. 8 in the CHL's weekly rankings, which is unchanged from last week. The top three slots are occupied by WHL teams - the Everett Silvertips, Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers. Vancouver was No. 1 a week ago, with Everett second.

THE WINTER GAMES
The Blazers will have six players, including three off their roster, playing in the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse in late February - G Dalyn Flette and D Jordan Rowley (Alberta), RW Tyler Shattock (B.C.), C Jimmy Bubnick (Saskatchewan), and LW Shayne Wiebe and C Paul Van De Velde (Manitoba).

THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS

1. D Ray Macias, Kamloops. Leads the way with three points.

2. C Brady Mason, Kamloops. Two assists and great penalty killing.

3. RW Matt Kassian, Kamloops. Two points and lots of ice time.

UP NEXT
The Blazers and Rockets battle in the Little Apple tonight. The B.C.Division-leading Giants are at The ATM on Sunday. Game time is 7 p.m.


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