Matthew Kieper saves an Ethan Semeniuk penalty shot in a 6-0 win over the Vancouver Giants on March 11, 2023. (Photo via Allen Douglas)
Matthew Kieper picked up his first shutout as a Kamloops Blazer in a 6-0 win over the Vancouver Giants Saturday night.
Kieper stopped all 25 shots he faced – including an Ethan Semeniuk penalty shot – to earn his seventh win as a Blazer. He had some help from his teammates as the Blazers killed off a 5-on-3 penalty with about five minutes to go at Sandman Centre.
Emmitt Finnie scored the only goal of the first period, before goals from Jakub Demek, Fraser Minten, and Connor Levis – on a penalty shot – in a 7:33 span in the second effectively put the game out of reach for the Giants.
Penalty shot: ✅
Goals in six straight: ✅@blazerhockey | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/lEAUHoPcdC— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 12, 2023
Zellweger, who leads all WHL defencemen in goals this season with 28, and Levis, who has goals in six straight games, rounded out the scoring in the third period. That gives the Blazers their sixth win in a row, and 17th in their last 18 games.
Jesper Vikman was the far busier goaltender on the night, turning aside 38 of the 44 shots he faced, including a flurry of saves in the first period while the game was still scoreless.
Crazy sequence in the 1st https://t.co/gDrhN03Aay
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) March 12, 2023
Finnie and Logan Bairos had a pair of assists each for the Blazers who also got multi-point nights from Demek and Minten.
While Logan Stankoven missed his third straight game with an upper body injury, the Blazers captain helped raise over $41,000 for Canadian Blood Services, the most ever by a Hockey Gives Blood Player Ambassador, on Logan Stankoven Charity Night.
He did it! Logan Stankoven didn’t just reach his goal, he smashed it raising over $41,000 in support of @CanadasLifeline . 🔥
The most ever raised by a Player Ambassador.
Thank you to everyone who donated and volunteered to make this night happen.@blazerhockey | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/nBXybfw489
— Hockey Gives Blood (@hkygivesblood) March 12, 2023
Lineup for Blazer postgame autographs started nearly in a full circle around the concourse. Guys will be signing for awhile into the night.
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) March 12, 2023
The Blazers will be back in action on Wednesday when they host the Victoria Royals at 7 p.m.. They’ll also play a home-and-home against the Kelowna Rockets next weekend, at Sandman Centre Friday night and at Prospera Place on Saturday.
