Grayson Badger deflected a shot from the blue line past Coquitlam Express goalie Adam Manji 15:39 into the first overtime to give the Alberni Valley Bulldogs a 5-4 win in the opening game of their first round BC Hockey League playoff series, Friday in Port Alberni.
The Bulldogs lead the series 1-0.
The Express forced the overtime when Jackson Krill tied the game at 4-4 with 33 seconds left in the third period.
The goal capped a wild 20 minutes that started with Coquitlam ahead 2-1.
Alberni Valley’s Zeke Nicholson made it 2-2 2:30 into the frame, then the home team went ahead less than five minutes later on a goal by Lucas Buzziol.
Drew Garzone got Coquitlam back on even terms, scoring on a power play at 16:21.
But just over a minute later the Bulldogs regained the lead, 4-3.
Garzone scored twice to lead the Express offence while Badger also had a pair for Alberni Valley.
Manji faced 39 shots in Coquitlam’s net. His teammates fired 35 shots at Bulldogs’ keeper Callum Tang.
The game was an immediate trial by fire for new Express interim head coach Jeff Wagner, who ascended from the assistant position when bench boss Patrick Sexton was dismissed on Monday.
Heading into the post season, Coquitlam had won just one game since Feb. 24 and only seven of 30 since the Christmas break.
The second game of the best-of-seven series will be played Saturday at 7 p.m. in Port Alberni. The teams then head to Coquitlam for games three and four on Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
