A solid 60-minute performance for the Kamloops Blazers as they dumped the Vancouver Giants 5-1 at home on Friday night to pick up their first win of the 2023-24 WHL season.

Nathan Behm got the Blazers on the score sheet with less than four minutes to go in the first to give Kamloops the early 1-0 lead at Sandman Centre.

As Behm’s goal was still being announced, Connor Levis – making his season debut after a stint at Winnipeg Jets camp – doubled the Blazers lead less than 30 seconds later. Levis got a helper from Emmitt Finnie, who was also making his season debut after a stint at the Detroit Red Wings camp.

The Blazers would continue to pile-on in the second as Harrison Brunicke’s first of the season at 12:31 of the period made it 3-0 Kamloops.

Less than a minute later, Emmitt Finnie – who would end up being the game’s first star – notched his first of the campaign to make it 4-0 Blazers.

After a Shea Van Olm marker 3:29 into the third, the only question that was really left was whether starter Matthew Kieper would earn the shutout. His bid ended with just under seven minutes to play when Tyler Thorpe with a goal for the Giants to a few groans from the Sandman Centre crowd.

Kieper, who the Blazers picked up last year from the Regina Pats at the trade deadline, made 22 saves for his first win of the season, which puts Kamloops at 1-0-1 on the season.

Brett Mirwald made 27 saves on 32 shots in a losing effort for the Giants.

Kamloops now hits the road for a Saturday evening match-up in Everett against the Silvertips, their first road game of the 2023-24 season.