Giants score three times in first, beat Kamloops 5-1 to earn playoff spot

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Vancouver Giants earned some revenge against the Kamloops Blazers on Friday.

The Giants erupted for three first-period goals en route to a 5-1 win over the Blazers in Western Hockey League action.

When the Blazers (23-23-1-4) beat the Vancouver Giants 2-1 back on January 3rd in Vancouver, it was the first time the Giants had lost in regulation on home ice all season.

Revenge was clearly on the minds of Giants players, as Vancouver (39-4-0-3) put up five goals in the opening 40 minutes before cruising in the third period en route to becoming the first WHL team to clinch a playoff berth.

After a very slow start where only one shot was registered for almost five minutes, Vancouver struck first. After a strong Vancouver fore-check kept prevented a Kamloops clearance, James Wright scored his 15th goal of the season from close range at 5:25.

Vancouver's second came on the power play at 16:17 of the first, Evander Kane scoring his 31st of the season when he chased in a rebound off Blazers goalie Jon Groenheyde.

Less than a minute later, Alex Rodgers scored his sixth goal of the season after Groenheyde gave up another big rebound to complete a very one-sided first period.

James Henry added Vancouver's fourth at 10:57 of the second period. Henry cut in on goal from the left side, switched to his backhand in front of the net to score his ninth.

Casey Pierro-Zabotel scored the Giants' second power-play goal of the night with a quick shot from the right wing at 11:47 of the second.

Kamloops scored its only goal less than a minute into the third. Off a three-on-two rush, CJ Stretch scored his 23rd of the season when Sexsmith couldn't hold onto the original shot from Shayne Wiebe.

That would be it for scoring but the referees were kept busy. A total of 80 penalty minutes were handed out over the last 18 minutes of the game.