Blazers comeback falls short

The Kamloops Blazers clawed back from a three-goal deficit but could not seal the deal Saturday in overtime, where they lost 5-4 to the Tri-City Americans.

Emmitt Finnie, Oren Shtrom, Layton Feist and Harrison Brunicke were the goal scorers for Kamloops. Brandon Whynott, Nick Anisimovicz, Carter Savage, Gavin Garland and Jackson Smith scored for the Americans.

Finnie opened the scoring 30 seconds in, but then it was all Tri-City for the better part of two periods. The Americans were up 4-1 until the Blazers started a rally late in the second with a power-play goal from Shtrom.

Feist and Brunicke scored in the third to tie the game. Smith then beat Dylan Ernst two minutes into overtime to win it for Tri-City.

Ernst made 29 saves on 34 shots. Lukas Matecha stopped 27 of 31 Kamloops shots.

Announced attendance at Toyota Center in Kennewick, Wash., was 3,078.

The loss drops the Blazers to 2-4-1-0. They will get another crack at the Americans on Sunday afternoon in Kennewick.

The Blazers’ next home game will be on Tuesday, when the Prince Albert Raiders visit Sandman Centre. Opening faceoff is 7 p.m.