The Vancouver Giants scored early, and often, as they pushed to sweeten their playoff position in a tight Western Conference mid-pack, rolling over the Kamloops Blazers 9-2 on Saturday night at the Sandman Center.
The Giants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, just 14 seconds into the game, with Cameron Schmidt getting his 27th of the campaign.
Vancouver would tally less than a minute later with a Samuel Honzek goal – his 10th of the year – to make it 2-0.
After settling things down, the Blazers would then put some life into the crowd of nearly 5,500, as Emmitt Finnie would score on the power play to make it a 2-1 game midway through the first period.
However, the wheels would fall off the momentum train from there, as the Blazers would allow three more goals in the first to give Vancouver a 5-1 advantage going into the dressing room after the first frame.
After chasing starter Jesse Sanche from the net, rookie Logan Edmonstone wouldn’t have much more support in front of him, giving up a pair of goals in the second period to make it 7-1 after 40 minutes.
The Giants would score two more in the third, including a hat trick goal from Cameron Schmidt, to make it 9-1 before Jordan Keller would score with about 5 minutes to go in the 3rd to wrap up the scoring at 9-2.
With the victory – and losses by both Kelowna and Victoria on Saturday – the Giants now vault into fifth place in the Western Conference standings, one point ahead of the Rockets and three up on the Royals.
Vancouver now sits just two points back of fourth place Wenatchee, who have a game in hand.
Connor Levis was named third star on the night as he finished with two goals and an assist in his second game in Kamloops as a Giant. The Vancouver native had an assist the last time the Giants played in Kamloops.
The Blazers are back in action on Tuesday on the road in Seattle. Both teams are out of the playoffs this season.
Puck drop in Seattle is 7:05, with the Radio NL pregame with Jon Keen getting underway at 6:35.