Jordan Keller celebrating his game-tying goal against the Penticton Vees on Jan. 10, 2026. (Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers)

By Victor Kaisar

Vees 5 Blazers 4 OT

Vees beat Blazers in overtime as Kamloopsian Keller nets three points in return from injury

Jan 11, 2026 | 8:15 AM

KAMLOOPS — Jordan Keller scored twice and added an assist in his first game in seven weeks, but the Kamloops Blazers fell 5-4 in overtime to the Penticton Vees at Sandman Centre Saturday (Jan. 11) night.

Keller, who hadn’t played since the Nov. 21 defeat to Portland, scored to tie the game twice in the third period, but the BC-Division leading Vees bounced back just 29 seconds into the extra frame to win their ninth game in a row.

KELLER COMES BACK FOR SECONDS! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xQiUMt92YB

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 11, 2026

The 18-14-4-4 Blazers also got goals from JP Hurlbert and Nathan Behm, as they remain in sixth place in the Western Conference and fourth in the BC Division. Penticton sits second in the Western Conference with a 24-9-4-3 record.

The high-flying Vees struck first at Sandman Centre when Ryden Evans scored the only goal of the opening period. Hurlbert, who is second in the WHL scoring race, restored parity with his 26th goal of the season, scored on the power play at 6:26 of the second period.

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Kamloops deserves the full story

5h ago

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Supporting small businesses in B.C.

7h ago

The Creative Edge

PEARCE: Beyond fear - how schools can support safety

Mar 31, 2026

The floodgates opened in the third as Tristan Petersen and Louis Wehmann scored 23 seconds apart to give the Vees a 3-1 lead, before Behm pulled one back for the Blazers 17 seconds later. All those goals game in the first 4:05 of the final frame.

Keller then tied the score at 3-3 with his first goal of the night, scored at 13:29 of the third.

WELCOME BACK JORDAN KELLER! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vB8wpOY1AO

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 11, 2026

Jacob Kvasnicka restored Penticton’s lead less than a minute later, when he beat Blazers goaltender Ivans Kufterins with a penalty shot at 14:20.

Keller forced overtime with a power play goal when he deflected Hurlbert’s shot past Ethan McCallum with just over 90 seconds to play. Kvasnicka – who was named the game’s first star with a four-point effort – called game when he fired the overtime winner past Kufterins.

Jacob Kvasnicka is OUT OF THIS WORLD 🛸@PentictonVees I @NYIslanders I #Isles pic.twitter.com/8XAEEH2iOo

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 11, 2026

Kufterins stopped 19 of 24 shots he faced, while McCallum turned aside 35 of 39 shots.

The Blazers will look to rebound against the slumping Prince George Cougars at 7:00 p.m. this Friday (Jan. 16) at Sandman Centre. Prince George has lost six in a row and nine of their last 10 games.