Tim Bozon key for Kamloops Blazers in playoff win; other WHL West playoff scores from Friday

The last time the Kamloops Blazers won a playoff game, Tim Bozon was 11 and playing minor hockey in Geneva, unaware of the existence of the Western Hockey League. By the time the game was over, he fully looked like any kid getting his first taste of playoff hockey, sporting a fat lip after taking a deflected pass off the face in the second period.

In that period, however, he scored two goals, albeit one a little sneakily with the shaft of his stick, on a goal that many thought belonged to Columbus defensive prospect Austin Madaisky. It was the second goal of the period for Bozon and he, a day before his 18th birthday, earned the first star in the franchise's first playoff win since 2005, 4-1 over the Victoria Royals in Game One of their WHL Western Conference playoff series.

"I knew before the game that they'd be coming real hard on us," said Bozon after the game about his first taste of playoff hockey. "It's really intense compared to the regular season, especially against Victoria, a team that we beat seven times, but it was not an easy game."

Bozon's first of the game made the score 2-1 on a great play below the goal-line by Colin Smith, who set up Bozon for a chance in the first period as well, but the Blazers' only goal came from Dylan Willick, who had a couple of whacks in close to Royals goaltender Keith Hamilton who didn't get a lot of help in the crease area tonight. Robin Soudek tied it up with a wicked wrist shot two minutes later when Bozon was off for delay-of-game. Late in the second period, Kamloops effectively ended it, with Captain Chase Schaeber scoring at the tail-end of a powerplay from the circle, and Bozon's goal off the shaft came just :47 seconds later.

Overall, Kamloops coach-GM Guy Charron (no relation) was satisfied with his team's performance, particularly defensively. According to the Buzzing The Net statistical department, the Blazers gave up just 11 scoring chances in this one, and five of those came in garbage time in the third period. "They held their own when they played d-zone coverage," said Charron. "I thought with the exception of a couple of good saves that Cole [Cheveldave] had to make in the third period, outside of that, the effort was pretty good by our whole hockey team."

"I thought for the most part we were pretty good," said Victoria coach Marc Habscheid. "Just that push in the second." According to Habscheid, the difference in this series thus far? "One game."

The third period ticked away in record time, with only a few questionable post-whistle scrums. The Blazers aren't a team known for fighting, neither of the top teams in the WHL West are, and efforts by the Royals to knock the Blazers off their game fell on deaf ears and fists. "We try to preach to our players, 'if you get in a scrum, get out of there'," Charron said.

Game Two runs Saturday night in Kamloops.

Elsewhere…

Portland Winterhawks 6 vs. Kelowna Rockets 3 (Portland leads series 1-0)

Through two periods, the outcome looked suspiciously in doubt, as the highly-favoured Winterhawks were up just 3-2 on the heels of a Joe Morrow goal with 1.8 seconds to play in the period, but in true Winterhawk fashion, the team exploded for three goals in the third period and proved to be the superior team in Game One against the Kelowna Rockets.

Morrow's go-ahead goal was a lengthy 40-footer that eluded Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown, one that could have deflated the Rockets on most nights, but considering it came in a winnable game, that has to sting, but Kelowna fought for 50 minutes, as Colton Sissons deflected in a MacKenzie Johnston shot midway through the third period to cut the gap to 4-3 after Oliver Gabriel made it 4-2 earlier in the frame.

Brown, who stopped 49-of-55 shots on net, also made a good save off a Gabriel breakaway attempt to keep the game close, but Ty Rattie scored a hat-trick goal with 2:29 to go to literally cap this game for the Winterhawks.

Also notably, Brown apparently stole the game puck at the conclusion of the game, giving us our first taste of series' shenanigans.

Tri-City Americans 7 vs. Everett Silvertips 2 (Tri-City leads series 1-0)

Tri-City, known for its stingy defence, somehow managed to get seven goals with Brendan Shinnimin earning more than two assists, but those two assists came in the first 9:07 of the game as goals were scored by Jesse Mychan, Malte Strömwall and Mason Wilgosh to put the game out of reach for Kent Simpson and the Everett Silvertips quite handedly. Tri-City won 7-2 in the end and take Game One of the series.

Defensive prodigy Ryan Murray struck back 1:40 after the 'Tips coach Mark Ferner took a time-out to calm down his troops, but right at the end of the frame, Connor Rankin, the 17-year old with just 18 goals on the year, put away his first of the playoffs to give the Americans the 4-1 lead heading into the break.

Ty Rimmer stopped 14-of-16 shots, so he wasn't necessarily a factor as both Everett goalies were forced to see more action. 42-16 read the shot-clock after 60, so this game really wasn't in doubt, as what tends to happen in junior hockey with a 1-seeded team taking on an 8-seed in a 10-team conference…

Vancouver Giants 7 vs. Spokane Chiefs 5 (Vancouver leads series 1-0)

Vancouver finished off the night for the home team in a nail biter, as Spokane roared back from a 5-2 second period deficit to put the score to 6-5 late in the game. The scoreboard isn't indicative of how close this was at the end, as Cain Franson scored his hat-trick goal at the 19:58 mark to seal the deal for the Giants.

Notably, Austin Fyten put the Giants up 1-0 with 1.8 seconds to go in the first period (what is it with score clocks and 1.8 seconds?) banging home a loose puck past Mac Engel, and Franson, Marek Tvrdon both had early goals in the second period. Jordan Martinook also had a pair in the period, one on the powerplay, and Spokane looked all but out of it going into the third.

But specialty team goals in quick succession, one from Jason Fram and a shorthanded tally from Dominik Uher, brought the score back to 5-4. Franson looked to have sealed it with a goal with just 3:48 to go, but Mike Aviani, unlikely to be on the ice as a 13-goal scorer this year, put Spokane back to within reach with :91 seconds to go, leading to some tense moments in the end, but it didn't appear that the Giants gave up a scoring chance.

Concerns for the Giants must be their powerplay. While it clicked at a 1-for-4 rate, they also gave up the two shorthanded markers, so they have to feel lucky having come away with this game knowing that they have a definite spot to improve.

Cam Charron covers the WHL for Buzzing The Net. He can be found on Twitter @camcharron