With how incredible the seven game series was between these teams back in April, many calendars have all four meetings between Coquitlam and Alberni Valley circled this season.
Tonight we come across another one of those circles as the Bulldogs cross the Georgia Strait and descend upon the Poirier.
The first meeting this campaign was not too long ago, and unfortunately for Coquitlam went the way of Alberni. It was the second game of the weekend for a banged up Express roster that was also dealing with an illness that took several guys out of the lineup. That game was an opportunity to step up for players throughout the lineup and the BCHL debut of our 18U JPHL Captain Nathan Hillmann. The Express just didn’t have it in them that night to match the Bulldogs’ intensity. To their credit they did have multiple chances either go off the post or go just wide of the goal, so one bounce here or there could equal a very different hockey game.
It will be a dogfight in the standings tonight as the Express and their adversary are only one point separated. Coquitlam have one more loss beyond 60 minutes giving them that precious extra point. Besides that, the records are identical. What is not similar are how the teams have gotten to this point. Alberni have been better defensively than the Express, allowing nine fewer goals on the season, but their offence hasn’t kept up. Coquitlam have nearly 20 more goals than the Bulldogs this season. After some disappointing games early on, Alberni have reeled things in defensively and been a part of several close games. Coquitlam will need to be good in their own zone tonight and channel the defensive acumen they had last Friday, while avoiding the lapses from Saturday.
There is some bark to the bite of the Bulldogs. Albeit that offence is frontloaded it is a talented group to be mindful of. Grayson Badger, Brady McIsaac and Zeke Nicholson all have seven or more goals on the season and the depth scoring has also been there to support the Bulldogs when they need it. In their own zone, a big reason why they are second in the conference in goals allowed is the work of Colin Winn. The veteran netminder currently boasts a 2.92 GAA and 0.919SV% alongside his 9-3-1 record.
The challenge for Coquitlam tonight is buying-in for the full 60 minutes. They have shown this season with big games like that of against Brooks, they can go toe-to-toe with anyone if they have the commitment of the entire locker room. Keeping each other accountable is extremely key to coming together as a group and overcoming this marquee Coastal Conference clash.
A player to watch for your Express will be Mason Kesselring. One of our newest additions scored a hat-trick last Saturday and was a key piece of the offence bailing the defence out of a bad situation. The Poirier is a different beast with the skinnier confines so it will be interesting to see how his style of play evolves in his new stomping grounds. Also look to the blueline and expect to see a motivated Leo Eperjesi tonight as the pride of Kosice, Slovakia just received an invite to the selection camp for his country’s roster at the upcoming World Juniors.
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– Ian Wilson
