The Vancouver Giants wore their special edition Gordie Howe jerseys on Gordie Howe Night Friday and, appropriately, received a Gordie Howe hat trick from centre Jordan Martinook.

The 19-year-old Martinook assisted in the first period, scored in the second and fought in the third as he led the Giants to a wild 7-5 Western Hockey League victory over the Kamloops Blazers at the Pacific Coliseum.

He also added the final dagger with a second goal late in the third.

The victory was an impressive one considering Kamloops entered the game with the WHL's best record and best road record. The Blazers were also the country's No. 2-ranked junior team behind only the Ontario Hockey League's Lon-don Knights.

Martinook, who received a mock elbow to the head from Howe in a photo op Thursday, was well aware of his magical performance and threw mock elbows to the crowd of 8,115 when he emerged for his first-star bow.

Mr. Hockey earlier received a standing ovation when he came to centre ice for the ceremonial opening faceoff. The puck drop followed a video tribute that included a message from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"Everybody respects Gordie for what he means to the game and the ambassador that he is whether they saw him play or not," said Giants majority owner Ron Toigo, who encouraged Gordie to join his owner-ship group when the franchise was founded 11 year ago.

"... It's really hard to put into words having Gordie involved," Toigo added. "He's irreplaceable. He's got more [health] challenges every year so get-ting him out here involves a few more logistics. But, over-all, Gordie looks forward to it and when he gets here, he's upbeat."

Goals by Austin Vetterl, Brett Kulak and Nathan Burns in the first 10 minutes of the first period staked the G-Men to a 3-0 lead and they hung on from there as the Blazers kept fighting back.

The Giants, obviously inspired by Howe, scored on their third, fifth and eighth shots before spoiling their start by allowing Dylan Willick's short-handed goal. The Blazers carried the momentum of the Willick tally into the second period and pulled even by the 6: 11 mark as Colin Smith and Brock Balson buried rebounds.

Brendan Gallagher and Martinook then answered with goals three minutes apart to restore the Giants' lead. For Gallagher, it was his 125th goal in a Vancouver uniform, moving him to within one of Adam Courchaine's franchise record. Blazer Cole Ully, on another goalmouth rebound, moved Kamloops back to within one at 5-4 before the second period was out.

Nathan Burns, early in the third, scored a softy on Blazer netminder Cole Cheveldave before Brendan Ranford, on the Blazers' fourth goalmouth rebound, brought Kamloops back to 6-5.

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