Saturday night at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, the Vancouver Giants erased a two-goal third period deficit en route to a 4-3 overtime victory over the B.C. Division leading Kamloops Blazers.
A pair of Swedes did the heavy lifting for the G-Men on Saturday as goaltender Jesper Vikman turned aside 49 shots, while Fabian Lysell chimed in with two goals and an assist.
His second goal came on an overtime breakaway with 27 seconds remaining. Zack Ostapchuk and Payton Mount also supplied goals for Vancouver while Kamloops got goals from Logan Stankoven, Luke Toporowski and Matthew Seminoff.
At 3:04 into the first period, Blazers forward Logan Stankoven intercepted the puck at the Giants blueline, and raced in alone on Jesper Vikman. Vikman made a terrific save off Stankoven’s initial chance, but the Blazers leading scorer tucked home his own rebound for his 29th of the season.
In the second, Luke Toporowski extended the Kamloops lead to 2-0 off a redirect at the left side of the slot at 3:30. Quinn Schmiemann and Logan Stankoven both assisted on his team-leading 31st goal of the season.
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Giants comeback bid started at 3:46 of the third period when Fabian Lysell notched his first of the night on a low shot from the slot off a setup from Ty Thorpe. Payton Mount also factored in on Lysell’s 16th goal of the season.
Zack Ostapchuk then evened the score at 8:12 when he followed up a bouncing Fabian Lysell rebound, and knocked it home for his 12th of the season, and his second goal in as many games.
Zack Ostapchuk isn't often late for the party…
but when he is, he makes it count!@WHLGiants | @Senators pic.twitter.com/RbnuMAqfIy
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 20, 2022
Just 49 seconds later, Payton Mount gave the G-Men their first lead of the night at 9:01 when he crashed the neat and converted off a Cole Shepard feed from behind the net. Shepard forced the turnover behind the Kamloops net before finding Mount in front.
Blazers found an answer at 12:45 on a power play. Matthew Seminoff’s resilience paid off as he was finally able to sneak one past Jesper Vikman, who in the seconds prior made a sequence of big saves. Fraser Minten and Luke Toporowski each earned assists.
Fabian Lysell says 'GG.'@WHLGiants | @NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/MNBjWkicj6
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 20, 2022
Fabian Lysell helped the Giants complete their come-from-behind victory at 4:33 of overtime off a breakaway feed from Evan Toth. Lysell raced in close, and made no mistake as he popped his second of the night past the glove of Dylan Ernst.
Saturday’s 49 save effort was a season/career high for Vikman.
Lysell has now recorded points in each of his past four games. In that span, he’s now managed four goals and two assists for six points.
Next Giants Game: A Monday matinee on home ice at the Langley Events Centre at 2 p.m. against the Victoria Royals.
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