BLAZERS FALL 5-3 TO ROYALS
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
The Kamloops Blazers hosted the Victoria Royals on Tuesday evening for an early-week showdown, one of three games for the Blazers this week to round out the 2024-25 campaign.
The game started at a fast pace, with the Blazers attempting quick tape-to-tape passes to sustain offensive pressure. However, it was the Royals who struck first when Winnipeg Jets prospect Markus Loponen snapped home his 18th goal of the season, beating Dylan Ernst early on. Kamloops responded when Josh Kelly carried the puck up the left side into the offensive zone, snapping a quick shot that trickled past Johnny Hicks, where Vit Zahejsky tapped it home for his third goal of the season.
That lead wouldn’t last long, as Loponen set up Brayden Boehm to restore Victoria’s advantage at 2-1. Royals forward Kenta Isogai had a chance to extend the lead to two but was denied by Ernst. Back the other way, the Blazers generated a two-on-one that led to an Emmitt Finnie breakaway, but he was stopped by a sprawling Hicks.
The momentum shift favored the Royals, and Isogai capitalized on a power play, ripping home a goal to make it 3-1. After a puck rang off the crossbar, the Blazers pushed back with momentum—first, Zahejsky weaved his way through the defense but was stopped by Hicks on the doorstep. Ultimately, it was Kelly who buried the puck in the back of the net, cutting the lead to one.
The second period opened with the Royals pressing, but Ernst held strong to keep the game at 3-2. Approaching the 10-minute mark, Royals defenseman Cosmo Wilson fired a shot from the blue line that bounced off the post and in, restoring Victoria’s two-goal lead.
Tommy Lafrenière dazzled through the offensive zone, trying to rifle one past Hicks, but was shut down. After one too many moves at the blue line, Royals forward Nolan Stewart stripped the puck away and, with a couple of quick dekes, beat Ernst on the backhand to make it 5-2. In response, Blazers forward John Szabo launched himself like a torpedo at Royals defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, looking to ignite a spark for Kamloops.
The Blazers faced an uphill battle entering the third period, but it was Mr. Game 100, Matteo Koci, who ripped a shot past Hicks just 2:30 into the frame, cutting the lead to two. Royals forward Brandon Lisowsky then had a breakaway opportunity, but Ernst robbed him with a terrific glove save.
Kamloops continued to apply pressure in the final minutes, with chances from Kelly and Harrison Brunicke, but Hicks remained solid between the pipes—even sprawling out on the goal line to cover the puck and keep Victoria in front. With the net empty, the Royals desperately tried to add another tally but were unable to do so.
The Blazers will host the Vancouver Giants on Friday.