Music: {allcanada} WHL: RANFORD LEADS BLAZERS OVER OIL KINGS IN SHOOTOUT

Thursday, October 18, 2012

{allcanada} WHL: RANFORD LEADS BLAZERS OVER OIL KINGS IN SHOOTOUT

The Karaoke Channel Online Member Community

Brendan Ranford scored in regulation and added another in the shootout Wednesday as the Kamloops Blazers defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-4 in the Western Hockey League.

Ranford skated in slowly as the first Kamloops shooter and ripped a shot blocker side on Laurent Brossoit. Colin Smith had the other shootout goal for Kamloops, while Blazers goalie Cole Cheveldave stopped both Edmonton attempts.

With the win, the league-leading Blazers (10-0-1) are still the only team in the WHL without a regulation loss. Kamloops extended its winning streak to eight games, having outscored opponents 37-12 over that span.

JC Lipon had a pair of goals in regulation, while Rob Trzonkowski also scored for Kamloops. Cheveldave finished with 34 saves.

T.J. Foster, Dylan Wruck, Mitchell Moroz and Henrik Samuelsson replied for Edmonton (5-3-3), which is 0-3-2 against Kamloops since beating the Blazers back on Dec. 2, 2009. Brossoit stopped 16 shots in defeat.

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Saskatoon 3, Tri-City 2 (OT); Lethbridge 6, Brandon 1; and Everett 3, Swift Current 1.

At Edmonton, Lipon opened up scoring 6:03 into the first, shovelling a shot home from just outside the Oil Kings crease.

Foster replied on a man advantage for Edmonton with just under five minutes remaining, but Ranford restored the Kamloops lead with a power-play goal of his own with six seconds left in the period to give the Blazers a 2-1 advantage after one.

Wruck tied it up again halfway through the second, dancing across the blue-line before calmly tucking the backhand behind Cheveldave.

Kamloops took a 3-2 lead on Trzonkowski's goal midway through the third, but penalty trouble cost the Blazers moments later with Moroz's power-play deflection tying the score once again.

Edmonton briefly held a 4-3 edge with Samuelsson's power-play goal through traffic at 18:01, but Lipon capitalized on another Oil Kings turnover to score short-handed just 35 seconds later and force overtime.

With a pair of assists, Smith has recorded at least one point in all 11 of the Blazers' games this season and now has seven goals and 23 points on the year.

Blades 3, American 2 (OT)

At Saskatoon, Matej Stransky scored at 1:16 of overtime as the Blades (5-7-0) defeated Tri-City (7-3-2).

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Hurricanes 6, Wheat Kings 1

At Lethbridge, Alta., Macoy Erkamps and Brady Ramsay each scored and added two assists as the Hurricanes (4-6-0) trounced Brandon (6-4-1).

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Silvertips 3, Broncos 1

At Swift Current, Sask., Kohl Baumi scored twice as Everett (3-7-1) got past the Broncos (4-3-4).