By Chad Klassen

Loewen scores OT winner to earn Blazers split on the Island

Mar 23, 2019 | 10:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — Captain Jermaine Loewen added to his already impressive junior hockey resume in Kamloops with arguably his biggest goal as a Blazer.

The 20 year old scored 5:14 into overtime to lift the Blazers to a 4-3 win over Victoria to win Game 2 and come home with a split in the first-round series.

A night after being blanked by Griffen Outhouse and the Royals in the series opener, the Blazers got off to a quick start, scoring a pair of early first-period goals to build up a 2-0. The game’s third star Kyrell Sopotyk opened the scoring 5:21 into the game before Brodi Stuart added a tally 1:45 later to give the visitors a two-goal lead after the first.

Victoria scored the next two goals, both on the power play, in the middle frame to tie the game. Kody McDonald buried the first Royals’ goal to cut the lead in half less than three minutes into the period, then Carson Miller notched his second goal of the series midway through the second.

Sopotyk restored the Blazer lead 3:54 into the third with a power play goal for his second of the night. However, Victoria clawed its way back again in no time — tying it up 17 seconds later on another tally by McDonald. 

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Nothing was settled the rest of regulation, setting the stage for Loewen’s overtime heroic for the Blazers who come home for Game 3 on Tuesday night with a tie series, winning in Victoria for the first time this season. 

Dylan Ferguson got the start in goal and was the first star in his first game action since being injured against Vancouver on Mar. 6, making 39 saves in the victory. The shots were 42-35 in favour of the Royals.