The Swan Valley Stampeders fell 4-1 on home ice Friday night in front of a large season-opening crowd at the Centennial Arena.
The two teams traded numerous high-quality chances in the first period but neither team could solve Kobe Grant (Stampeders) or Chase Hamm (OCN) through twenty minutes of play.
The flood gates opened in the middle frame as the Blizzard found the back of the net three times in 14 minutes. Drayden Kurbatoff gave the Blizzard the lead 1:27 into the second period, scoring his first of the season on the power play. Ashton Paul gave the Blizzard a 2-0 cushion just over four minutes later and Keilan Holland added a third with less than six minutes to play in the period.
Jakob Jones, who was dancing around the ice all night, finally found a way to solve Hamm, scoring on the power play to give the Stampeders their first goal of the season at 16:56 of the third period. Ashton Paul sealed the win with an empty net goal with thirty seconds left to give the Blizzard a 4-1 win on the road.
Final shots
OCN – 31
Swan Valley – 27
The Stampeders will look to rebound on the road tomorrow night in a rematch against the OCN Blizzard. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Gordon Lathlin Memorial Arena.