KENNEWICK, Wash. (Interstat) — The Kamloops Blazers will be the visiting team against the Tri-City Americans on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in a Western Hockey League game at Toyota Center. Both teams enter the minor league hockey matchup with 0-1 records and will be seeking their first victory of the season.

Kamloops opened its season with a 4-2 home loss to Victoria on Sept. 19. Center Andrew Thomson scored two goals and recorded six shots on goal in the defeat. Right wing Ty Bonkowski added three shots on goal, and center Jacob Dumansky recorded two shots on goal. Thomson is the player to watch for the Blazers. In the Sept. 19 game against Victoria, he scored twice and finished with six shots on goal. The loss to Victoria was Kamloops’ season opener. Kamloops will be looking to carry that individual production into Friday’s road game.

Tri-City also opened with a loss, falling 3-2 in a shootout to Spokane on Sept. 19 at home. Center Grady Martin recorded one assist and one shot on goal in that game. Right wing Evan Wanner scored one goal and had one shot on goal. Center Alexander Laing registered three shots on goal and two penalty minutes. Wanner is the player to watch for the Americans. Against Spokane, he scored one goal on one shot. The shootout loss to Spokane was Tri-City’s season opener. Tri-City will seek more offense from Wanner, Martin and Laing in its next home game.

The matchup at Toyota Center will be an early-season meeting between teams still searching for consistency. Kamloops will try to build around Thomson after his two-goal effort. Tri-City will look to Wanner after his goal against Spokane. Martin and Laing also were among the Americans’ most productive players in the opener. The Blazers will play the first of two straight road games on Friday before continuing their schedule in Portland and Kelowna. The Americans will play at home Friday before heading to Spokane. Both teams will play again Saturday.

After Friday’s game, Kamloops is scheduled to visit Portland on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Blazers then visit Kelowna on Friday, Oct. 2, before hosting Kelowna on Saturday, Oct. 3. Tri-City is scheduled to visit Spokane on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Americans then visit Penticton on Saturday, Oct. 3. Those games are part of the Western Hockey League schedule. The Blazers’ next home game is not until Oct. 3. The Americans’ next road game is Sept. 26.

The Interstat game simulator projects a final score of Kamloops 2, Tri-City 0.