Cameron Schmidt scored his 25th goal of the season 1:08 into overtime on Friday night to lift the Vancouver Giants past the Kamloops Blazers 4-3 at the Sandman Centre.
Giants goaltender Matthew Hutchison had 28 saves. Adam Titlbach, Connor Levis and Jakob Oreskovic provided the other three Vancouver goals.
John Szabo, Emmitt Finnie and Connor Radke each scored for Kamloops.
Giants Associate Coach Adam Maglio said their third period was their best period.
"Our guys were dialled in. You could tell. It's hard coming off Christmas break. A little bit of sloppiness on both sides and that's to be expected, but I just liked our approach. They stuck with it. Our third period was our best period. "
Maglio praised Hoilett, Lipinski, Oreskovic as "a real good grind line. They get us a lot of o-zone possession time. I thought they had some good looks from grind time. And then just seeing Jake score tonight 鈥� really happy for him."
As for Hutchison, "calmness in the net. He made saves at key moments that kept us in the game, early on especially. He just looks comfortable in the net these last two games. He's tracking pucks well; his rebound control has been good. And the other thing is he's not getting rattled when one goes in on him. I think our team feeds off that."
With less than three minutes left in the opening frame, the Giants struck first, when Tyler Thorpe sprung Titlbach for a breakaway, who deked to the backhand and tucked it home for his 13th of the season.
The Blazers tied the game midway through the second period when Szabo fired a shot from the left circle, but the Giants responded just 11 seconds later when Levis put home a loose puck after goaltender Dylan Ernst failed to cover it.
Before the second period came to a close, the Blazers tied the game 2-2 when Finnie deflected a shot that Szabo took from the point.
Less than six minutes into the third period, Oreskovic gave the Giants their third lead of the game, when Jaden Lipinski found him open in the left circle for a quick release top shelf.
Just 39 seconds later, the Blazers would tie it yet again after Radke's centering pass went off a skate and into the net.
Hutchison stopped Layton Feist and then Finnie on a wrap-around early in the 3-on-3 overtime to keep the Giants alive.
Schmidt would end the game after he absorbed a hit and popped free from the left corner, where he proceeded to chip a quick shot top shelf.
Levis (1G), Thorpe (2A) and Titlbach (1G-1A) combined for five points. The trio has now combined for 27 points over their last five games.
Schmidt's 25th goal moves him into a tie for 2nd in the WHL, two back of Shea Van Olm's league-leading 27.
Lipinski's third period assist was the 150th point of his WHL career. .
Oreskovic's goal was his first since Oct. 19, breaking a 20-game goalless drought.
Next, a 4 p.m. visit by Kelowna at LEC this Sunday, Dec. 29.
