Two Power Play Goals the Difference for Blazers in Win over Giants
WHL Vancouver Giants

Two Power Play Goals the Difference for Blazers in Win over Giants

Published on March 1, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Vancouver Giants' Oliver Bryks and Joe Iginla congratulated by team
Vancouver Giants' Oliver Bryks and Joe Iginla congratulated by team
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Brian Johnson)

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - The Kamloops Blazers scored back-to-back goals on a third period four-minute power play to propel them to a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Giants on Saturday night at Sandman Centre.

The Giants and Blazers were deadlocked 1-1 entering the third period, before Kamloops took their first lead early in the final frame. They extended their 2-1 advantage to 4-1 with two power play markers in a 66-second span after a four-minute power play was called against the Giants. Vancouver scored two of their own 1:39 apart to cut the deficit to 4-3, but that was as close as they'd come.

Vancouver falls to 21-35-1-2 (45 points), while Kamloops improves to 26-21-7-5 (64 points), currently in sixth place in the Western Conference.

Misha Volotovskii, Ryan Lin and Sam Charko provided the goals for Vancouver.

Ty Coupland, Ty Bonkowski, Vit Zahejsky and Josh Evaschesen had the tallies for Kamloops.

GAME SUMMARY

The Giants opened the scoring on the power play at the 6:11 mark of the first period, courtesy of Volotovskii's 16th goal of the season.

Coupland tied it less than two minutes later on a 1-on-1 rush.

The second period was the story of goaltending, with Hood and Logan Edmonstone combining for 37 saves. Hood stopped 22 of 22 and Edmonstone made 15 saves on 15 shots in the middle frame alone, holding the score at 1-1 heading into the third.

Just 3:28 into the third, Bonkowski gave Kamloops a 2-1 lead when he beat Hood from the left circle off the rush.

Vancouver was whistled for a double minor high sticking penalty not long after, and surrendered back-to-back power play goals from Zahejsky and Evaschesen to give the Blazers a 4-1 lead.

The Giants responded with a goal from Lin just 2:07 later off an offensive zone face-off, bringing Vancouver back within two.

Only 1:39 after Lin's goal, the Giants scored off another face-off set play, this time when Charko deflected in a point shot from Ethan Mittelsteadt to make it 4-3.

Although the Giants pulled the goalie, they couldn't get enough sustained pressure to really make a push, leading to the 4-3 final score. STATISTICS

SOG: VAN - 8/15/10 = 33 | KAM - 10/22/12 = 44

PP: VAN - 1 /2 | KAM - 2 /3

Face-Offs: VAN - 31 | KAM - 42 3 STARS

1st: KAM - Josh Evaschesen - 1G, 1A, 10 SOG

2nd: KAM - Ty Coupland - 1G, 1A, 4 SOG

3rd: KAM - Ty Bonkowski - 1G, 1A, 2 SOG, +2 GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: LOSS - Burke Hood (40 saves / 44 shots)

Kamloops: WIN - Logan Edmonstone (30 saves / 33 shots) THEY SAID IT

"I thought we had a pretty good game. I thought the guys battled pretty hard. You get out of the first period there and it's a tight game and then they get up one and then going into the third, our PK, it was a tough one to take. Obviously you take a four-minute penalty high sticking in the o-zone and not to mention Volotovskii is one of our best penalty killers, so that was tough. A couple miscues on that...seeing the guys battle back and get two goals, one off a face-off and one just a good tip in front, it was good to see. I think there was belief that we were going to come back and win the hockey game." - Giants Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson

UPCOMING

The Giants play four games next week, starting on Tuesday in Kennewick, Washington.

Date Opponent Location Time

Tuesday, March 3 Tri-City Toyota Center 7:05 PM

Friday, March 6 Kelowna Prospera Place 7:05 PM

Saturday, March 7 Kamloops Sandman Centre 6:00 PM

Sunday, March 8 Kelowna Langley Events Centre 4:00 PM

Stream all Giants games for free on Victory+.

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Images from this story

Vancouver Giants' Oliver Bryks and Joe Iginla congratulated by team
Vancouver Giants' Oliver Bryks and Joe Iginla congratulated by team
(Brian Johnson)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2026


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