It's been weeks since the Express last tasted victory.
This weekend the Express were dropped 8-2 in Westside on Friday, and 5-4 in overtime in Salmon Arm on Saturday.
Friday's game started well for the Express with Jason Grecica scoring the Express' 2nd powerplay goal in their last 26 powerplay opportunites.
The lead however didn't last long and within a few minutes they were trailing after goals by Kyle Singleton and former Express Matt Ridley.
The second period saw the Express have some chances but couldn't finish them and the Warriors had extended their lead to 4-2.
Then the Warriors blew the game wide open in the third with 4 goals. 2 on the powerplay and a beautiful one on one shorthanded effort by Alex Grieve dangling past Massimo Lamacchia and using a strong second effort to poke the puck past Khaleed Devji.
The final score was a whitewash for the Warriors 8-2.
24 hours and a team meeting post game later the Express looked to bounce back in Salmon Arm.
The first period was far from an oil painting. In the final minute Destry Stright was called for delay of game covering up the puck in the Express zone.
On that powerplay, David Killip took a cross ice pass and roofed a shot over Khaleed Devji to give Salmon Arm a 1-0 lead with just 1.8 seconds remaining in the 1st period.
The second period was a much different story as the game opened up.
Garrick Perry added his second goal in as many nights and was followed 29 seconds later with Justin Georgeson's first BCHL goal as he used his strength and powered his way to the net and slid the puck home.
That lead lasted just under 5 minutes as Josh Manson wired a point shot past a screened Devji to tie the game at 2.
Coquitlam re-stored their lead just over a minute later as Jason Grecica put a perfect feed on the stick of Steve Axford who converted the 2 on 1.
Again that lead didn't last long. Are you sensing a trend here?
Again it was Josh Manson with a point shot this time that was tipped in front of Devji by Devin Gannnon to tie the game at 3. The goal coming just 2:16 after Axford's marker.
In the third Matt Cassidy gave the Silverbacks the lead on a pretty passing play converting a cross crease feed for Salmon Arm's second powerplay goal of the night.
The Express were given one last shot to tie the game when Bryce Gervais was given a holding penalty which was followed by a unsportsmanlike conduct and a game misconduct giving the Express a 4 minute powerplay with just under 5 minutes remaining.
Coquitlam took advantage of the opportunity with Alex Petan putting a perfect pass on the tape of Malcom Mckinney who slid it home to tie the game at 4.
This back and forth affair between the 2001 expansion cousins went to overtime.
The game was quickly decided when David Killip who opened the scoring, finished the proceedings when he slid the puck under Devji for his second of the night at 1:51 of the first overtime.
The loss was dropped Coquitlam to 0-4 in overtime this season. All 4 extra time setbacks have come on the road. Coquitlam has now dropped 8 consecutive games with 3 of them decided in overtime and 5 of them by a single goal.
Coquitlam has played a total of 486:49 of game play in the last 8 games. Of that time, only 44:05 of that time has been played with the lead.
The Express will look to bounce back Wednesday night in a big game vs. the Nanaimo Clippers.
1 comment:
It seems what the Express are lacking is consistency. A win on Wednesday would at least start up the long climb back up the standings.
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