The Coquiltam Express opened up a two goal lead before the game was three minutes old and newcomer Evan Brown scored in his first game to fuel a 6-1 win over the Cranbrook Bucks, Sunday afternoon at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
Centre Drew Garzone scored his first goal of the season just 20 seconds after the opening faceoff to give the Express the quick advantage and 2:26 later Tyler Kopff scored to make it 2-0.
Michael Rubin’s second goal of the season midway through the period put Coquitlam up 3-0 before Donovan Frias got one back for the visitors five minutes later on a power play.
Brown, a high-scoring forward the Express acquired from the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the US Hockey League on Friday in exchange for future considerations, made an immediate impact after his debut in Coquitlam was delayed by a day because of a bureaucratic issues, scoring on a power play midway through the second period.
Goals by Mirko Buttazzoni and Cameron Moger extended the Express lead as the team went on to its second win in a row to finish off its brief three-game homestead.
Kopff added a pair of assists to his goal to lead Coquitlam’s offence while Adam Manji stopped 23 shots in net.
Carter Capton and Nathan Airey faced 40 shots in Cranbrook’s net.
The win lifts the Express into third place in the BC Hockey League’s Coastal Division, tied with the Victoria Grizzles seven points behind the Surrey Eagle and Nanaimo Clippers which each have 24 points in 14 games.
Coquitlam travels to Chilliwack to play the Chiefs on Friday, followed by a visit to Langley the next day for a game against the Rivermen, their opponent at their next home game on Nov. 18.
