Drew Garzone scored a pair of goals, and Tyler Kopff, Liam Tanner and Mateo Dixon each added singles as the Coquitlam Express defeated the Langley Rivermen 5-3 Friday (Nov. 18) at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The win was Coquitlam’s second in a row over the Rivermen, and fourth victory in its past five games.
The Express didn’t start its weekend hosting the parents of its players on the best foot, surrendering the game’s first to Langley’s Keeton Oakley who ripped a shot from the slot past Coquitlam netminder Brady Smith.
But the Express rallied with a pair of goals 29 seconds apart late in the first period. Garzone scored his first of the night at 16:36, then Kopff put the home team in front at 17:05.
Coquitlam extended its advantage to 3-1 on a goal by Tanner just 1:18 into the second period.
Luke Munroe’s goal 11:27 into the third period pulled the Rivermen back to within a goal but Dixon restored the advantage for the Express less than three minutes later.
Again the visitors fought back with a goal by Vitaly Levyy but Garzone’s second goal of the game into an empty net sealed Coquitlam’s win.
Smith stopped 26 shots in the Express net, while his teammates fired 44 at Langley keeper Ajeet Gundarah.
The win solidifies Coquitlam’s third place in the BC Hockey League’s (BCHL) Coastal Conference, four points ahead of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, and six behind the second place Surrey Eagles. The Rivermen are last, with just 12 points in 19 games.
The Express take on the Vernon Vipers Saturday (Nov. 19) at 7 p.m. at Poirier in another special game, as the team celebrates the old Coquitlam Comets by wearing replicas of the Pacific Junior Hockey League team.
