KENNEWICK, Wash. - Colin Smith scored twice as the Kamloops Blazers downed the host Tri-City Americans 4-1 on Friday in Western Hockey League play.
Chase Souto and Matt Needham each had a goal and an assist for the Blazers (30-13-5), who won for the first time in three outings, while JC Lipon and Cole Ully had two assists apiece.
Jesse Mychan scored the lone goal for the Americans (26-17-3), who had their three-game win streak halted.
Taran Kozun made 20 saves for the win as Luke Lee-Knight turned away 29 shots in a losing cause.
Lee-Knight has taken over the starting position for Tri-City after it was announced on Friday that Eric Comrie will miss the remainder of the season.
Comrie, who has sat out since Jan. 9th, is expected to miss up to four months to recover from surgery that will take place on Feb. 4th to repair his hip. The 17-year-old goaltender had an MRI on Monday, which showed the damage.
“It sucks right now,” Comrie said Friday afternoon. “It is better to do it (surgery) while it is minor. The doctors say I will be more flexible, have better range of motion and be pain free.”
Though he will miss the remainder of the season, Comrie does not believe this setback will affect his draft status this summer.
“The scouts have seen me play,” he said. “By the draft I should be healthy.”
Kamloops went 1 for 3 on the power play while Tri-City scored once on five chances with the man advantage.
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