RECAP: Halaburda's OT Winner, Pyne's 45 Saves Lift Giants Past Blazers in OT

RECAP: Halaburda’s OT Winner, Pyne’s 45 Saves Lift Giants Past Blazers in OT

Category: ArticleOctober 25, 2025

Kamloops, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants won a thrilling game over the Kamloops Blazers on the road on Saturday night, edging the home side 5-4 in overtime thanks to a goal from Ty Halaburda.

The win improves the Giants’ overall record to 6-7-0-1, while the Blazers fall to 6-6-0-1.

Kelton Pyne had a standout performance in net for Vancouver, finishing the night with a career-high 45 saves.

The Giants started strong, jumping out to a 2-0 lead, only to surrender four consecutive goals to Kamloops. Vancouver battled back to make it 4-4 after 40 minutes of play.

Halaburda netted his ninth goal of the season off a pass from Cameron Schmidt to end the game 3:45 into the extra frame. Schmidt also scored twice in regulation, extending his point streak to six games (7G-6A). Leonardo Domenichelli netted his first career WHL goal and Brett Olson also scored for the Giants. Luca Pura picked up his first career WHL point with a primary assist on Olson’s goal.

Jordan Keller had a natural hat-trick for the Blazers. Josh Evaschesen had the other Kamloops goal.

CLICK FOR THE OFFICIAL WHL BOXSCORE

GAME SUMMARY

Schmidt opened the scoring early in the first on a power play when he beat Ivans Kufterins high on the glove side.

Olson added to the Giants lead on a 2-on-1 after Pura made a cross-ice pass to him, which he then roofed for his third of the season.

A TOP SHELF GOAL FROM OLSON WITH THE ASSISTS FROM PURA AND ORESKOVIC 😮‍💨🚨 score is 2-0 Giants! pic.twitter.com/stzFLJj8Fr

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 26, 2025

Keller got the Blazers on the board late in the first on a tap-in to make it 2-1 Vancouver after 20 minutes.

Keller added two more in the second to complete the natural hat-trick, making the score 3-2 for Kamloops at the 9:03 mark of the middle period.

Eveschesen extended the Blazers lead to 4-2 with a power play marker just 92 seconds later.

Before the second period came to a close, the Giants tied things up.

Schmidt notched his second of the night on a 5-on-3 power play, sniping from ‘his office’ in the right circle.

Schmidty’s second goal of the night 👏🚨 pic.twitter.com/EeAHFc2R6Y

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 26, 2025

Then Domenichelli tied the contest 4-4 when he beat Kufterins on the blocker side on a 2-on-1 rush coming down the right wing.

Domenichelli’s FIRST WHL goal assisted by Olson and Mittelsteadt!! 🚨🔥 pic.twitter.com/Msd2hFxj82

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 26, 2025

Neither side could score in the third period, leading to the Giants third overtime game of the season.

Pyne made back-to-back post-to-post saves within a matter of seconds to keep the Giants alive, which also lead to Schmidt setting up Halaburda for the game-winner.

TY HALABURDA FROM SCHMIDT AND LIN TO BRING THE GIANTS TO VICTORY IN OT!! 😮‍💨🚨👏 pic.twitter.com/ee10BhXNL8

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 26, 2025

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN —14/7/8/2 = 31 | KAM – 8/22/16/3 = 49
PP: VAN—3/5 | KAM — 2/2
Face-Offs: VAN — 29 | KAM — 35

3 STARS

1st: KAM – Jordan Keller – 3G, 7 SOG, +2
2nd: VAN – Cameron Schmidt – 2G, 1A, 7 SOG, +1
3rd: KAM – Josh Evaschesen – 1G, 6 SOG

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: WIN – Kelton Pyne (45 saves / 49 shots)
Kamloops: LOSS – Ivans Kufterins (26 saves / 31 shots)

THEY SAID IT

“The players are definitely gassed: they put it all out there. Really good start for us, and then they came back and we stuck with it, stuck with it. You’ve got to give credit where credit is due: Pyne was just incredible tonight.” – Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson

“It’s something we’ve preached from day one and [Head Coach] Parker [Burgess] has had that message: resiliency and be brave in those moments…they get four straight and then us sticking with it and showing resiliency to stick to our game. Having a troubled second, but then coming out solid in the third and sticking to our game. At the end of the day, it is just being brave and making those big plays in big moments.” – Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson on the resiliency of the group

CLICK BELOW FOR THE FULL POST-GAME INTERVIEW WITH ASSISTANT COACH GAELAN PATTERSON

UPCOMING

The Giants host Portland on Friday and then play a home-and-home with Kamloops next weekend.

Date	Opponent	Time	Location
Sunday, October 26	Kamloops	4:00 PM PDT	Langley Events Centre
Saturday, November 1	Kelowna	7:00 PM PST	Langley Events Centre
Sunday, November 2	Prince George	4:00 PM PST	Langley Events Centre

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