Rob Wilton
B.C. Division, Game Recap

Giants start game against Blazers off well, but lose in overtime

Written by Giancarlo Nadeau on

 

The Vancouver Giants’ kickstarted their three-in-three weekend off on a high note against the B.C. Division leaders, the Kamloops Blazers. Friday’s contest marked the 11th meeting of the season between the two foes with the Giants entering the game with a 2-8-0-0 record and 1-4 home record over Kamloops.

The Giants started the game with Swedish-born goaltender Jesper Vikman who made his 18th straight appearance in the Giants net. The G-men came out firing when the puck dropped to open the game, but a Giants penalty allowed the Blazers to get control near the end of the period. With 2:05 remaining in the first period the play was blown dead as the Giants goaltender, Jesper Vikman, was down on the ice. Vikman appeared to have pulled something as no player seemed to have made contact with him and was helped off the ice by Giants Athletic Therapist, Mike Burnstein. Will Gurski would replace Vikman and although both teams ended the period with 10 shots on goal neither team would be able to find the back of the net. 

Zack Ostapchuk opened the scoring in the middle frame with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle at the 4:01 mark. Ostapchuk’s 15th goal of the season came from Hall (12th assist of season) and Lysell who picked up his tenth point against the Blazers, the most points of any Giants player over the Blazers this season. With the point, Lysell now leads all Giants players with 12 multi-point games.

Just past the halfway mark of the second period Logan Stankoven was involved in a center-ice collision with Giants defenceman Connor Horning. Both players would leave the game as Stankoven was helped off the ice by Blazers athletic trainer Colin Robinson while Cotton was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for a hit to the head.

The G-men closed out the second period with a 1-0 lead. When leading after two periods, the Giants are now 16-1-2-0.

Ostapchuk would double the Giants lead 19:16 into the third period thanks to a short-handed breakaway chance that was set up by Connor Horning. The goal was Ostapchuk’s second of the night and tied him for most goals scored by Giants players in a single game this season of two with Adam Hall. Ostapchuk had already scored twice in the same game earlier this season too.

Connor Levis put the Blazers on the board with his 12th goal of the season as he was on the receiving end of a backhand pass along the boards in the Giants zone by Blazers forward Ethan Rowland. 

One minute after the Blazers’ goal the Giants scored another one of their own to make it a 3-1 lead for Vancouver. Cole Shepard locked up his sixth goal of the season from Ty Thorpe. The Giants are now 17-6-2-0 when Thorpe records a point.

Kamloops would respond with two consecutive goals from Schmiemann (12) and Kuefler (28) to tie the game at 3 and bring it to overtime. 

Daylan Kuefler (29) scored his second goal of the night on the Blazers’ 45th shot of the game to seal the deal for his team with 17 seconds remaining in overtime.

Prior to Friday’s game, these two teams had not played against one another since February 19th when the Giants erased a 2-0 third period deficit and pulled away to secure a 4-3 overtime victory in Kamloops. 

Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss against the Blazers now gives the Giants a 20-26-3-0 record. For Kamloops, their record has now improved to 38-14-2-0.

The 12th and final meeting of the season between the Giants and Blazers is set to take place on April 16th in Kamloops. This will be the final regular-season game of the season for both teams.

Vancouver will head to Kelowna for a game against the Rockets on Saturday before heading back home for a tilt against the same Rockets team on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.