Jake Bonkowski scored 4:49 into overtime to give the Coquitlam Express a 3-2 win over the West Kelwona Warriors Saturday at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
It was Bnkowski’s first goal for the Express since he joined the team from the Surrey Eagles earlier in February.
Bonkowski stripped the puck from a Warriors’ forward with a sliding check in Coquitlam’s end then raced to gather the puck before sliding a backhand shot under Kelowna goalie Rorke Applebee.
Jacob Bonkowski wins it for the Express in OT! 🚨
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) February 25, 2024
🎙️ @ianw1lson #BCHL | @BCHLExpress pic.twitter.com/7vL5m39Dwn
Playing each other for the first time, the Express and Warriors exchanged goals in the first period.
Kelowna took a 2-1 lead early in the second when Jackson Kyrkostas beat Coquitlam goalie Ethan Simcoe on the power play as Luke Vardy sat out a double minor he was assessed for spearing late in the first period.
But Jake Manfre’s 20th goal of the season got the home side back on even terms midway through the second. Neither team scored in the third.
Simcoe stopped 30 shots in the Express net while his teammates fired 28 shots at Applebee.
Coquitlam hosts the Nanaimo Clippers on Friday, March 1 and the top team in the BC Hockey League, the Penticton Vees, visit on Saturday. Both games start at 7 p.m.
