The Port Coquitlam Trailblazers opened up a 4-0 lead and hung on to defeat the Delta Ice Hawks 4-2 in the third game of their Pacific Junior Hockey League playoff series, Sunday afternoon at the PoCo Community Centre.
The Trailblazers lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1, after also beating Delta in Friday’s second game, 7-4.
Tait Humphries opened the scoring 13:14 into the first period. Port Coquitlam then built on its lead with goals by Bailey Ewonus, Noah Iacutone and Markus Jack in the second period.
Jack’s goal was his sixth in five post-season games, including a hat trick in Friday’s encounter.
The Ice Hawks got two goals back in the third period but couldn’t equalize despite firing 20 shots at Trailblazers’ goalie Keiran Caughran. Overall, Delta outshot the home team, 41-36.
Ewonus added a pair of assists to his goal to lead all Port Coquitlam scorers while Branden Pollock also chipped two helpers.
Pollock said the team fed off the energy of the home crowd, many of whom were waving towels that were handed out to fans before Sunday’s game.
Ewonus said the pressure is on the shoulders of the Ice Hawks, which finished the regular season with 16 more points than the Trailblazers.
“Any game we go into up is an advantage,” he said.
The series returns to Delta for game four on Tuesday, 7:35 p.m., at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
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