The Kamloops Blazers celebrate their game four win over the Vancouver Giants on April 6, 2023. (Photo via Rob Wilton)
Olen Zellweger scored with 1.5 seconds left in overtime as the Kamloops Blazers completed the sweep over the Vancouver Giants with a 5-4 win Thursday night.
“Great play in the corner there from [Shea Van Olm] to [Dylan Sydor] and then a lot of guys were yelling ‘shoot’ from the bench so I tried to find a lane and fortunately I think it got tipped by a Vancouver guy,” Zellweger said post-game.
“It’s really nice to score that and win the series. A good team win, we stuck with it and we’re going to be ready for round two.”
Here was the finish on @RadioNLNews last night! 📻 pic.twitter.com/fmTNtYfTTW
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) April 7, 2023
Zellweger and Ryan Hofer finished with a pair of goals and an assist each at the Langley Events Centre. Connor Levis also scored for the Blazers, who swept their first round playoff series for the second consecutive season.
The Giants’ offence came to life in Game 4 as they rode a Ty Thorpe hattrick and a late goal from Skyler Bruce, though they ultimately came up short in an elimination game against the Memorial Cup hosts.
It began well for them as Thorpe opened the scoring five minutes into the first period, putting the Giants ahead for the first time in the series. The lead didn’t last long as Hofer tied things up 1:45 later.
Hofer and Thorpe then traded goal before Levis put the Blazers up 3-2 after the first – his first goal of the playoffs coming with two seconds left in the period.
Ryan Hofer – 2@blazerhockey – 2 @Capitals | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/JXq5aZdVLQ
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 7, 2023
The two teams played a goalless second period before Thorpe completed his hat-trick in the opening minute of the third.
Zellweger then put the Blazers up 4-3 three minutes later, though Bruce’s goal with five minutes left to play sent the game into overtime.
The @blazerhockey are back in the lead thanks to Olen Zellweger!@AnaheimDucks | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/dujIiuXKCZ
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 7, 2023
It was all Blazers in overtime with Zellweger’s series winner coming on their 26th shot of the period, and 67th of the night. The Blazers came close on a number of other occasions in overtime though they were thwarted by Jesper Vikman in the Giants net.
Zellweger and Hofer – who were part of the top-seeded Everett Silvertips team that was upset by eighth-seeded Vancouver in round one of the 2022 playoffs – combined for 14 points in this series.
Kyle Masters added two assists on the night, while Emmitt Finnie extended his point streak to 14 games with an assist on Hofer’s first goal.
Dylan Ernst stopped 31 of the 35 shots he faced for his fourth win of the playoffs. Vikman made 62 saves in a losing effort, though he recorded an assist in the process.
🎥SAVE OF THE NIGHT🎥
Dylan ‘game-saver’ Ernst.@RealCdnSS | @blazerhockey | #NHLDraft | #SaveoftheNight | #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/8ie4gSCCBg
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 7, 2023
The second-seeded Blazers will play the third-seeded Portland Winterhawks in round two of the WHL playoffs, unless the Silvertips mount a comeback.
Portland leads that series 3-0 with game four in Everett Friday night.
The Blazers will have home ice advantage in round two, with Game 1 at Sandman Centre tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 14.
OFF TO ROUND 2 🔥🔥
Stay tuned for game dates, our opponent as well as tickets 👀👀#WHLPlayoffs #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/YpoXRqDsU4
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) April 7, 2023
