Blue vs. White highlights

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KTW was at the annual Kamloops Blazers’ Blue vs. White intra-squad game, held on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at Interior Saving Centre.

Here are some of the highlights:

— Chase Souto had a strong game to augment an impressive training camp. There were times he could have finished better, but he was in the right spots.

— Aspen Sterzer’s energy was there, as usual, but he took too many penalties. He and Tyler Bell dropped the gloves late in the third period, but no punches were thrown. It was a short-lived wrestling match, but intense, nonetheless.

— Mitchell Lipon, younger brother of returning Blazer JC, had a goal and an assist. He was also flattened cutting across the middle of the ice. Welcome to the WHL.

— Jayden Halbgewachs, the Blazers’ first-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, finished the game with a goal and an assist.

— Jordan Thomson, Kamloops’ first-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, is quickly becoming the player he is expected to be. He looked calm, made a few nice breakout passes and showed off his shot. He recorded two assists.

— The game’s scariest moment came in the third period when Colin Smith was high-sticked and fell to the ice. Blazer fans breathed a sigh of relief when he got up and skated off the ice. Blazer trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson was also forced to pick himself up off frozen water when he took a spill.

— Blazer prospect Braden Krogfoss made 19 saves on 23 shots between the pipes. He also stopped Jordan DePape on a breakaway. The Cloverdale product was re-assigned after the game. Kamloops starter Cole Cheveldave looked in mid-season form, allowing one goal on 27 shots. Taran Kozun will start the season as Cheveldave’s backup.

— Kamloops trimmed its roster to 31 players ahead of tonight’s (Aug. 30) exhibition tilt against the Victoria Royals. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at ISC.