The buzz in the building didn’t disappoint and neither did the Blazers on Tiebreaker Tuesday.

Kamloops is Island bound for round one of the WHL playoffs after a 5-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets in front of a sellout crowd at the Sandman Centre.

Entering the third period tied 1-1, Kobe Mohr scored the eventual game-winner and on a Rockets powerplay minutes later, not one but two shorthanded goals by the home team all but sealed a Blazer victory.

The first shorthanded goal, from Connor Zary, came after stealing a puck from Rockets goalie Roman Basran behind the Kelowna goal, after Basran crossed signals with a teammate. Just before the Rockets man-advantage ended, the Blazers did it again, this time Brodi Stuart stealing a puck from behind the Rockets goal and scoring on a wrap-around.

The fourth Blazer goal ended the night for Basran, who had been solid in the Kelowna crease throughout the night making 30 saves. Captain Jermaine Loewen added an empty-netter late.

Sixteen-year-old Blazers goalie Dylan Garand was the first star on the night, stopping 27 of 28 shots.

The march into the postseason for the Blazers has come along an improbable road; Kamloops was seven points back of Kelowna for third in the B.C. Division with six games to go, having lost four straight games and six of seven at that point.

Their climb back into contention started with back-to-back wins over Kelowna, before winning three of the next four to close out the regular season. Including tonight, the Rockets, who will host the Memorial Cup in 2020, dropped five of six games to end their 2018-19 season.

Kamloops now will travel to Victoria for a first-round date with the Royals, who finished the regular season in second in the B.C. Division, eight points up on the Blazers.

Games one and two go Friday and Saturday, while games three and four in Kamloops are set for March 26 and 27. Tickets for both of those games will go on sale at noon tomorrow.

(Photo: Tricia Mercuri)