Already up by two games, the Kelowna Rockets were looking to push their first round opponents to the brink on Tuesdsy night.
But the Kamloops Blazers weren’t in a cooperative mood.
Layne Bauer scored twice and Connor Ingram made 37 saves as the hometown Blazers downed the Rockets 4-1 in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series at the Sandman Centre.
Tied 1-1 in the second period, the Blazers took control of the game with a pair of goals in a 28-second span.
Jermaine Loewen put the Blazers ahead ti with a goal at 12:10, before Rudolf Balcers provided insurance, beating Michael Herringer on a penalty shot at 12:28.
After Bauer’s first goal opened the scoring at 8:06 of the first period, Kole Lind’s first of the postseason tied the game at 16:28.
Bauer’s second, at 18:07 of the the middle period, rounded out the scoring.
Herringer made 34 saves in the Kelowna net.
Game 4 goes Wednesday night at the Sandman Centre, with the fifth game back in Kelowna on Friday night. Face off at Prospera Place is 7:05 p.m.