Kamloops gets back in the win column with late game heroics Friday night against Vancouver

Photo: Brian Johnson

Blazers' goalie Dylan Ernst stops the puck against the visiting Giants Friday night in Kamloops.

The Kamloops Blazers put an end to a three-game losing streak on Friday night with a 5-4 victory in overtime against the visiting Vancouver Giants.

The Giants and Blazers exchanged power play goals in the first period with tallies from Vancouver’s Ty Halaburda and Kamloops’ Tommy Lafreniere at the 10 and 12 minuter marks in the first period. Late in the second, the Giants put up a pair of goals — first from former Blazer Connor Levis and then from Maxim Muranov — to lead 3-1 after the first 40 minutes of play.

The Blazers answered for those in the third with a goal from captain Emmitt Finnie at 14:14 and Jordan Keller four minutes later at 18:14.

The game seemed destined for overtime when, seconds later, Vancouver defence man Ryan Lin scored a giant goal to take the lead with less than two minutes to play.

With just 10 seconds left in regulation, Tommy Lafreniere scored his second of the game to tie things up once again.

Just two minutes into overtime, Jordan Keller would get his second goal of the game to take home a much needed Blazers’ win in front of 3,935 fans at the Sandman Centre.

The Blazers outshot the Giants 49 to 30 with Kamloops netminder Dylan Ernst making 26 saves to Burke Hood’s 44 saves for Vancouver.

Both teams got just lone power play goals with Kamloops going 1/3 and Vancouver 1/2 Friday night.

With the win the Blazers are 14-21-3-0 and sit 10th with 31 points in the western conference — three points out of the eighthe and final playoff spot. The Giants meanwhile are 19-16-5-0 and sit seventh with 43 points.

The Blazers are back in action this Saturday night at home against the second place Prince George Cougars, while the Giants are back home in Langley Saturday playing host to the Kelowna Rockets.