J.P. Hurlbert celebrates one of his three goals against the Vancouver Giants on March 20, 2026. (Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers)

By Victor Kaisar

Blazers 7 Giants 3

Hurlbert hits 40 goals as Blazers beat Giants in final home game of 2025-26 season

Mar 21, 2026 | 6:01 AM

KAMLOOPS — J.P. Hurlbert made the hats fly at Sandman Centre as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Vancouver Giants 7-3 Friday (March 20) night.

The 17-year-old forward, who has committed to playing NCAA hockey at Michigan next season, scored a hat trick in what could be his final home game in blue and orange. The Allen, Texas native also introduced himself to the Kamloops faithful with a hat trick in the Blazers home opener in September.

Hurlbert becomes the Blazers’ first 40-goal scorer since Kamloopsian Logan Stankoven achieved the feat in the 2021-2022 season. He’s third in the WHL scoring race with 95 points from 67 games.

Vit Zahejsky also scored twice, while Nathan Behm and Tommy Lafreniere added one each for Kamloops, who moved one point clear of Spokane for fifth place in the WHL’s Western Conference, with one game left to play.

The Chiefs, who lost in overtime to the Seattle Thunderbirds, have two games left.

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The Blazers gave up the game’s first goal Friday, but led 3-2 after one period, courtesy Hurlbert and Zahejsky’s pair.

They led 4-3 after two periods, and then scored three more in the third to make it a 7-3 final.

Behm added a pair of assists for a three-point night, while Ty Coupland and Harrison Brunicke chipped in with three assists each.

In net, Logan Edmonstone stopped 32 of 35 shots to earn the win for Kamloops. Vancouver’s Burke Hood stopped 30 of 36 shots in a losing effort.

Ahead of puck drop Friday night, the Blazers handed out their team awards and honoured their three overage players – captain Ryan Michael, Kamloopsian Jordan Keller, and Rhett Ravndahl.

The Blazers will close out the regular season in Langley Saturday against the Giants, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

While Kamloops has already clinched a playoff berth, their first-round opponent is yet to be determined, as the Chiefs could still retake fifth position by Sunday.

As things stand, Kamloops is set to face the fourth-place Kelowna Rockets in the first round, which starts next Friday (March 27).