Sports teams all over the world have had their seasons impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the season, it was debated whether the Kamloops Blazers would even be allowed to have fans in the building or play their pre-season games in their home arena. Despite new challenges presented by the pandemic, the Blazers have been able to rise above and beyond into an ongoing five-game winning streak. These wins haven’t come easily by any means.


The first major change for the Kamloops Blazers was that this season, teams would only face off against other teams in their division. As a member of the B.C. division, the Blazers would be scheduled to play against only B.C. teams as ongoing border restrictions made movement between the two divisions difficult. During the month of October, Kamloops would play against strictly British Columbian teams, with inter-divisional matchups scheduled for later on in the season.

The first game Kamloops played against an American team was versus the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday, November 3rd, with a crushing defeat of the Hawks 7-1. Forward Logan Stankoven put up a total of five points, including three goals. Goaltender Dylan Garand stepped up in net, making 27 saves to collect his eighth win of the season.


This most recent win puts the Blazers on a five-game winning streak, which they hope to continue on Friday, November 5th, as they face off against the struggling Victoria Royals, who are expected to welcome back captain Tarun Fizer from an appearance at an NHL training camp with the Colorado Avalanche. He will be part of the Royals lineup for Friday’s game.


While the Royals will be looking to secure the required two points to pull them up and out of the very bottom of the standings over the Tri-City Americans, the Blazers will be itching to continue their winning streak. The team currently sits third overall in the standings and require just one point to move up into second place. Any hope of achieving an overall lead would require almost ten points to surge ahead of the high-achieving Winnipeg ICE, who are currently sitting at twenty-six points.

It’s been a long and challenging season for the Kamloops Blazers, who have fought against the odds and the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has pushed through to achieve this amazing winning streak. Despite the challenges of navigating the season and taking a page out of their NHL counterparts’ book, they have more than risen to the occasion. Challenged by roster changes, injuries, and travel restrictions confining them to their home province, they have learned to adapt and overcome the challenges set in their path. Their whole city is proud of them and will continue to cheer them on during their definitive game against the Victoria Royals on Friday evening as they attempt to continue their growing winning streak.