It took a few attempts but the Kamloops Blazers were finally able to raise a pair of BC Division Champions banners to the Sandman Centre rafters.
The banners were commemorating the Blazers BC Division wins in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Previous attempts by the team to raise the banners this season were impacted by either COVID-19 or highway washouts.
Kamloops was the only team to clinch a division banner before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2019-20 season, the first since the 2011-12 season. They had a 41-18-3-1 record, which was good for 86 points in 63 games.
During the 2020-21 bubble season, the Blazers put up an 18-4 record, which was good for 36 points in 22 games.
Once the banners were up Saturday night, Logan Stankoven, who was part of both of the banner winning teams, and newly acquired forward Luke Toporowski combined for eight points as Kamloops beat the Victoria Royals 8-4.
Stankoven had a hattrick along with two assists, while Toporowski scored two more goals and assisted on one other as the Blazers extended their win streak to five games.
Caedan Bankier, Viktor Persson, and Drew Englot also scored for Kamloops while defenceman Mats Lindgren had three helpers on the night.
It was the Blazers fifth straight win, giving them a BC Division leading 27-11-1 record, which is good for 55 points in 39 games.
The Kelowna Rockets are in second place with a 22-10-1-3 record, good for 48 points in 36 games.
Toporowski has scored in all five games for Kamloops since his deadline day move from Spokane. He’s put up eight goals and two assists for 10 points as a Blazer.
Next up for the Blazers is at game in Langley on Friday, Feb 4, before a pair of games in Victoria on Saturday and Sunday.