Max Sullivan scoring his shootout goal against the Red Deer Rebels on Nov. 3, 2023. (Photo via Allen Douglas)
Max Sullivan scored in the ninth round of a shootout as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Red Deer Rebels 4-3 in a come from behind win Friday night.
It was the Blazers third straight win at Sandman Centre, and their first against an Eastern Conference opponent this season.
“I actually didn’t know they flood the ice for shootout, so once I saw that I thought I’d try something cool here and luckily it worked,” the 17-year-old Sullivan said post-game.
“Great feeling to get my shot and succeed on it.”
Sully 🎯 + Ernie 🛑 = BLAZERS WIN!🔥 pic.twitter.com/3hwWRKk1WE
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) November 4, 2023
Blazers goaltender Dylan Ernst stared down seven Rebels skaters in the shootout to pick up his third win of the season. Five of those skaters – including former Blazer Mats Lindgren – had a chance to win the game for the Rebels.
“It was definitely a challenge to stay in it, but my team is working their hardest every day and in practice so I had to do it for them,” Ernst said.
Ernst turned 29 of 32 shots he faced in regulation and overtime, while Chase Wutzke made 32 saves on 35 Kamloops shots.
Harrison Brunicke opened the scoring just past the midway point of the first period. The 17-year-old pounced on the rebound after Wutzke made a pad save on Connor Levis.
Brunicke puts the Blazers on the board first! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/x3LABhOPXu
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) November 4, 2023
A pair of Kai Uchacz goals – midway in the first and early in the second while the Rebels were shorthanded – gave the visitors their first lead of the night.
Ashton Ferster redirected a Logan Bairos point shot into the net at 10:14 of the second to even the score at 2-2 on the power play. It was the only goal the Blazers managed after Carson Latimer was assessed a major penalty – and a game misconduct – for checking Bairos from behind.
The Rebels were shorthanded for nine minutes in the second but they went into the locker room up 3-2, after Samuel Drancak redirected a shot from the blueline past Ernst.
The Blazers got a tying goal from Dylan Sydor, who extended his scoring streak to five games. The Kamloops native, who leads all Blazers with 11 goals this season, was named Radio NL Player of the Month of October ahead of the game.
SYDOR HAS GOALS IN FIVE STRAIGHT GAMES! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5YcerDjgYh
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) November 4, 2023
Friday’s game was WHL win number 550 for Blazers’ Head Coach and General Manager, Shaun Clouston, 159 of which have come behind the Blazers’ bench.
Clouston is seventh on the WHL’s all-time list – 22 wins behind Mike Williamson who is sixth, and 200 behind Blazers Associate Coach Don Hay, who leads all coaches with 750 wins.
Newly minted Blazers captain Fraser Minten was held scoreless on the night, though he led all skaters in shots on goal with seven.
The Blazers head down the Coquihalla this afternoon for a game in Langley against the Vancouver Giants.
Their next home game will be on Wednesday, Nov. 8, against the Portland Winterhawks.
