Kamloops Routs Tri-City To Tie Series

Kamloops scored five unanswered goals in the second period to coast to a 6-1 Western Hockey League playoff victory over the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday.

The Blazers’ victory ties the best-of-five West Division semifinal at two games apiece, with the deciding game Thursday in Kamloops. The winner meets Spokane in the division final.

The Blazers got two goals apiece from Jeff Ainsworth and Aaron Keller, and one each from Dean Kletzel and Ryan Rishaug.

The Americans’ only goal came from Shawn Gervais.

The teams were scoreless after the first period, but the Blazers fired 22 shots at Americans’ goalie Brian Boucher in the second. He came out in the third in favor of Aaron Baker.