Friday evening, March 4, at the Langley Events Centre, the Vancouver Giants dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Kamloops Blazers.
Zack Ostapchuk paced the Giants attack with two goals, while Daylan Kuefler countered with two goals in response for Kamloops, including the overtime winner with 16 seconds left in the game.
The other Giants goal came courtesy of Cole Shepard in the third period, while Kamloops received tallies from Quinn Schmiemann and Connor Levis.
Late in the scoreless first period, Giants goaltender Jesper Vikman left the game with an injury at the 18:55 mark.
He was replaced by Will Gurski.
Vikman stopped all eight shots he faced in the game before the injury.
Ostapchuk opened the scoring 4:01 into the second frame, burying a slick cross-ice feed from Fabian Lysell. Adam Hall secured the second assist. For Ostapchuk it was his 15th goal of the season.
Zack Ostapchuk stays 🔥 and puts the G-Men up a goal! https://t.co/AfzlxySC7C
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 5, 2022
46 seconds into the third period, Ostapchuk added his second of the game on a shorthanded breakaway to make it 2-0. Ostapchuk was sent in alone off a breakaway feed from Adam Hall.
Blazers answered at 4:04 when Connor Levis converted off an Ethan Rowland pass to make it a 2-1 game. For Levis it was his 12th goal of the season.
Exactly one minute later, Cole Shepard answered right back for the G-Men off the rush firing a shot cross-body entering the zone off the left wing. Shepard’s sixth of the season was set up from Ty Thorpe.
With time winding down, the Blazers comeback bid grew one goal closer when defenceman Quinn Schmiemann fired a point shot, that deflected off a series of bodies in front of the Giants goal, and knuckled its way past Gurski to make it a 3-2 game. Schmiemann’s 12th was set up by Matthew Seminoff.
Zack Ostapchuk stays 🔥 and puts the G-Men up a goal! https://t.co/AfzlxySC7C
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 5, 2022
Dylan Kuefler (28) tied the game in dramatic fashion with 29 seconds left in the third period. Kuefler’s first goal of the night came off a redirect from a Fraser Minten feed. Quinn Schmiemann had the second assist.
With just 16 seconds remaining in the extra frame, Blazers forward Daylan Kuefler went end-to-end, made a deceptive deke to the back-hand, toe-dragged the puck by the Giants defender and roofed his shot for his second goal of the game, clinching the overtime win for the visitors.
READ ALSO: Late-in-the game comeback fails to produce win for Vancouver Giants
With the single point, the Vancouver Giants now sit two points up on Prince George for sixth in the Western Conference standings. The Giants also hold three games in hand on the Cougars and are seven points clear of ninth placed Victoria.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Victoria Royals end an epic losing streak at the Vancouver Giants expense
Next Giants Game: Saturday night in Kelowna against the Rockets. Puck drop at 7:05PM.
Have a story tip? Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
LangleyLangley Events CentreVancouver GiantsWHL
