The Coquitlam Express picked up their first win of the BCHL semi final round robin doubling Victoria 6-3.
The win improves the Express to 1-1 in the round robin. Victoria meanwhile is still searching their first win at 0-2.
Cole Pickup got things rolling for Victoria scoring on a breakaway at 2:55 to open the scoring.
The lead only lasted just over 3 minutes as the much maligned Express powerplay struck as Ryan Rosenthal got enough of a stick on a Corey Mackin pass and scored to tie the game at 1. It was just the 4th powerplay goal for the Express in their 14th playoff game.
Victoria took their second lead of the night and it was the dangerous trio of the Fitzgerald triplets teaming up on the powerplay. Leo banged home the rebound of a shot for a 2-1 Grizzlies lead just 1:26 into the second period. Myles and Gerry drew the assists.
Rosenthal scored his second of the night chipping it past Nic Renyard to even things at two with just over 5 minutes remaining in the second period.
Victoria had the edge in play through two periods with a 23-12 edge in shots. But the Express have shown to be a very dangerous third period team during the post-season.
They kept that up Tuesday. Bo Pieper gave the Express their first lead of the night when he kept the puck on a 2 on 1 break and snap it past the glove of Renyard. Bo struck again 90 seconds later as from the corner he was able to bounce a puck in off the leg of Renyard for a two goal Express lead.
Entering Tuesday, the Express needed to get more production from Adam Rockwood and Corey Mackin to help take some pressure off their linemate and captain Rosenthal.
The two 18 year old forwards certainly rose to the occasion. Rockwood finished with 4 assists. Mackin had 1 goal and 2 assists. He scored the 5th Express goal on the powerplay for a 5-2 lead. Entering Tuesday Mackin had just 1 goal in the playoffs. And he hadn't scored since game 5 vs. Prince George.
Zach Hodder scored the 4th goal for the Express off the third period for a 6-2 lead at 14:39.
Rockwood and Rosenthal picked up the helpers to cap off their big nights. The Express top line combined for 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points between the three of them.
Gerry Fitzgerald rounded out the scoring with a powerplay goal with 2:06 remaining. Both teams finished 2 for 3 on the powerplay.
Containing the Fitzgerald's was high on the to do list for the Express Tuesday. They did strike for a pair of goals on the powerplay. but you can give the line of Jace Hennig, Joey Santucci and Brendan Lamont a passing grade for checking them very closely at 5 on 5.
Tuesday's win painted a very clear picture for the Express if they want to play for the Fred Page Cup. A win Thursday in Victoria for the Express would send them to the Fred Page Cup final for the second time in franchise history. The Express hope the third time in these playoffs is the charm when it comes to going on the road and being able to win and advance.
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