The Kamloops Blazers were defeated by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Memorial Cup Semifinals on May 24th, 2019. The Memorial Cup is the most prestigious junior hockey tournament in Canada, and the Blazers had been hoping to make it to the finals for the first time since 1992.
The Blazers had a strong season, finishing first in the Western Hockey League’s regular season standings with a record of 48-17-7. They then went on to win the WHL Championship, defeating the Vancouver Giants in six games. This earned them a spot in the Memorial Cup tournament, where they faced off against the Thunderbirds.
The game was a close one, with the Blazers leading 2-1 after two periods. However, the Thunderbirds scored three unanswered goals in the third period to take the lead and eventually win the game 4-2.
The Blazers were led by forward Zane Franklin, who had two goals in the game. He was supported by goaltender Dylan Ferguson, who made 32 saves on 36 shots. The Thunderbirds were led by forward Matthew Wedman, who scored two goals in the game.
The Blazers will now have to wait until next season to try and make it back to the Memorial Cup tournament. Despite their loss, they had a great season and should be proud of their accomplishments. The Thunderbirds will now move on to face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Memorial Cup Final.
Overall, it was a great game between two talented teams. The Blazers put up a good fight but ultimately fell short against a very strong Seattle team.
