Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers

By Victor Kaisar

Giants 5 Blazers 4 OT

Keller nets hat trick as Blazers drop overtime decision to Vancouver Giants

Oct 26, 2025 | 9:11 AM

KAMLOOPS — Jordan Keller scored his second hat trick of the WHL season but the Kamloops Blazers fell 5-4 to the Vancouver Giants in overtime in a Saturday (Oct. 25) showdown at Sandman Centre.

Josh Evaschesen also scored for the Blazers as both teams were playing their second game of a three game weekend. However, unlike Friday night’s win over Medicine Hat, it was the Blazers who gave up a two goal lead Saturday.

Hat-trick No. 2 on the season for Jordan Keller!@blazerhockey | #WHLHatTricks pic.twitter.com/gNJqKA76Tj

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) October 26, 2025

The Giants were up 2-0 late in the first period following goals by Cameron Schmidt and Brett Olson before the Blazers found the back of the net.

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Keller, the 20-year-old Kamloopsian, scored one in first period and two in the second to complete the natural hat trick before Evaschesen’s first goal at Sandman Centre – scored on the breakaway – had the home team cruising.

The Giants fought back as Schmidt scored his second about two minutes after Keller completed his hat trick. Rookie forward Leonardo Domenichelli, son of former Blazer – and Giants GM – Hnat Domenichelli, then evened the score at 4-4 with his first career WHL goal.

After a scoreless third period, veteran forward Ty Halaburda buried the overtime winner at 3:45 of the extra frame to give the Giants the extra point. Vancouver is now 6-7-0-1 and eighth in the Western Conference while seventh-place Kamloops is 6-5-1-1.

Blazers goaltender Ivans Kufterins stopped 26 of 31 shots in a losing effort, while Kelton Pyne stopped 45 of 49 shots to earn the win.

The Blazers and Giants will rematch at the Langley Events Centre Sunday (Oct. 26) evening with puck drop scheduled for 4:00 p.m.