Kamloops Blazers win 7th straight, down Vancouver Giants 2-1

Mar 12, 2016 | 10:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Blazers fought back from a third period deficit for the second straight night, winning 2-1 in a shootout over the Vancouver Giants on Saturday night.

WATCH: Highlights and post game with Sports Director Earl Seitz
 

Gage Quinney scored on the powerplay at 7:06 of the third to tie the game for the Blazers, and Jake Kryski scored the winner as the Blazers first shooter in the shootout, after overtime solved nothing.

Kamloops outshot Vancouver 40-31 on the night. After a number of strong scoring chances in the first for the Blazers, the Giants dominated zone time in the second period.

“We didn’t play a very good second period at all. Being only down one goal, I think that kind of flattered us. So to get the goal in the third – I thought we had a good third period, and winning in the shootout – we just stuck with it”, Blazers Head Coach Don Hay said. “This is probably the worst game we’ve played in a long time, as far as intensity, focus and teamwork. Sometimes we have games like that and you find a way to win. We did tonight.”

The Blazers tied it up in the third period on the powerplay, scoring on the man-advantage for the fifth straight game, and eighth time in nine games. The only game in that span the Blazers didn’t score on the powerplay was on Mar. 4th against the Kelowna Rockets, where they went 0-0.

The win was good for the Blazers seventh straight, who improve to 5-0-2-1 in the season series against the Giants. In the team’s meetings this season, five of eight matchups have gone past regulation, and six have been decided by one goal.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been on a streak like this”, Blazers defenseman Ryan Rehill said. “Tonight wasn’t really our best effort… I think it was a real character win. Connor [Ingram] played a great game again for us which held us in it. We just stuck to our game plan; we battled in the third and got fortunate to get a goal, and it’s been a long time since we won in the shootout.”

Kamloops now sits four points up on the Prince George Cougars for third-place in the B.C. Division. The Blazers will close out the season with a home-and-home series against the Cougars next weekend, beginning in Kamloops on Mar. 18th.

“It’s been a hectic schedule lately – four on the road, then four games in five nights. This [break] will be good for the group, and we just need to stay focused and have a good week of practice coming up”, Rehill said. “We need to be ready for Prince George and get a couple more wins to finish off the regular season.”

The final Kamloops Blazers home game of the regular season is in on Mar. 18th against the Prince George Cougars. For tickets to this game, call the Blazers Box Office at 250-828-3339, or click here to purchase online through Ticketmaster