Eric Linell scored 2:48 into overtime to give the Coquitlam Express a 3-2 win over the Vernon Vipers in their BC Hockey League game at Kal Tire Place in Vernon on Wednesday.
It was the first time this season the Express won a game on the road, and the first time the team posted back-to-back victories, after they beat Victoria 6-2 on Sunday.
Since new head coach Jason Fortier took over behind Coquitlam’s bench, the team has two wins, a tie and a loss.
Against the league-leading Vipers, Sam Kozlowski scored in the first and second periods to stake the visitors to a 2-0 lead heading into the third period. The Express were able to protect that advantage for 13 minutes, when Vernon’s Jesse Lansdell scored on a penalty shot awarded to him after he was hooked on a breakaway while Coquitlam was on the power play.
They were still on that man advantage when Express keeper Brock Hamm tried to clear a puck away from Lansdell and instead put it onto the pesky forechecker’s stick who then deposited it into the net for his second shorthanded goal of the game to tie it.
Coquitlam weathered a late penalty called on Josh Bruce for a check to the head with 15 seconds left in the third period that carried into overtime. Then, just over a minute after the teams returned to even strength, Linell was able to bounce a shot off the stick of a Vipers’ defenceman that eluded Vernon goalie Anthony Yamnitsky.
Hamm stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced in the Express net. He was particularly effective in the third period, despite giving up two goals, when the Vipers outshot the visitors 12-4.
Coquitlam had 25 shots at the Vernon net.
Sunday at home against the Grizzlies, Coquitlam took full advantage of a Victoria team that was playing for the third time in three days.
Still, the Grizzlies were able to jump out to a quick 1-0 lead when T.J. Friedmann scored his tenth goal of the season less than four minutes into the game.
Linell tied it on the power play with just 35 seconds left before the break, but Justin Michaelian restored Victoria’s lead 3:12 into the second period.
But Linell struck again just over two minutes later, firing home a pass from Jordan Schulting to get the Express back on even terms.
From there on it was all Coquitlam. Christian Sanda’s goal at 13:29 proved to be the winner and three unanswered goals in the third period sealed the deal.
Hamm stopped 35 of the Grizzlies’ 37 shots while his teammates directed 26 shots at Victoria’s net.
The Express will try to extend their winning streak to three games when they host the Chilliwack Chiefs Friday, 7 p.m., at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex. They’ll then play the Langley Rivermen on Saturday at George Preston Arena.
• Eric Linell’s five goals in three games last week earned him BCHL’s player of the week honours. In addition to his two goals Sunday against Victoria, he scored twice in Coquitlam’s 3-3 tie with Langley and he had the only Express goal in their 2-1 loss to Chilliwack last Friday.
