The rock paper scissors game continues for the Chiefs, Express and Eagles following last night’s lone BCHL matchup. Coquitlam showed this weekend they have Chilliwack’s number, the Chiefs have bested Surrey nearly every contest this season, and the Eagles have had their way with the Express on numerous occasions. Come the post season there is a very real chance we see a series between some combination of these opponents so the intrigue remains high.
Coquitlam and Surrey had a rather exceptional game going through 40 minutes last night. Any time a contest takes a tie into the third period the anticipation is tantalizing. How these sides got there was a trading of goals in the first and second respectively, 1-1 after 20 and 2-2 after 40. In the opening frame, Mason Kesselring received a pass quickly after the Express generated a turnover near the Eagles’ blueline and it was mono-e-mono with Maddox Osaka. Kesslering tucked the puck under the Surrey netminder’s pad to get the scoring started. The Express weren’t able to escape the period with the lead as with just over 30 seconds to go, a broken play ended up on the stick of Charlie Derrheim who just threw the puck on goal and it beat Logan Kennedy. A feel good moment for Derrheim and his teammates as that was the first career BCHL goal for the stay-at-home defender in Game 71.
The middle frame featured plenty of powerplay opportunity for the Eagles and they broke through with the special teams at the 5:26 mark. Massimo Fazio got a pass to the left circle and roofed a puck over the shoulder of Kennedy. Then similarly to Surrey, the Express found a way to tie the game in the late stages. Sam Frandina took matters into his own hands with a brilliant deke through two defenders and rifled the puck past Osaka.
The highlight of the third was without a doubt the Kennedy glove save. Eagles had an early powerplay and Siwhan Kim was waiting at the near post when a great pass found its way to him. It should have been a sure goal, but Kennedy reached back while down on the ice and snatched it away with the glove. Absolutely unreal stuff from the 18-year-old netminder in his third start for the Express. Surrey would not be denied for much longer though as they started a four goal run with a shorthander. The Eagles knocked the puck away in the neutral zone on a bad breakout from Coquitlam and the ensuing 2-on-0 was executed perfectly. Brandon Gill then added his 16th of the campaign as he got just enough behind the defence to receive a cross pass and beat a lunging Kennedy. Gavin Rocha potted an empty netter and then Surrey got a late powerplay goal from Ben Bertrand for his first in the BCHL.
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Coquitlam lost their in-game momentum last night and just didn’t find the right responses when the ice started to tilt. As Assistant Coach Brett Sonne put it post game, there are things you can’t control but you can choose how to respond.
The Express missed some crisp execution and overall jump outside of a few lines. Perhaps it was the third game in four days catching up to them, but the time for excuses is running out. With the post season so close, there is only so many opportunities left to get your systems and motivation straight.
It’s back to the drawing board as Coquitlam now prepare for a pair of games on the Island as the Dads’ Weekend sees Coquitlam faceoff against Cowichan and Alberni.
FORTIS BC ENERGY PLAYER – Ben Bertrand
MARINER BREWING THREE STARS
3rd – SUR – Charlie Derrheim – 1st Career Goal
2nd – COQ – Mason Kesselring – 1G 1A
1st – SUR – Gavin Rocha – 1G 2A
– Ian Wilson
