The Express brought their first round playoff matchup against the Spruce Kings back home to Coquitlam on Friday, after winning one of two games played in Prince George last week. With the series tied up at one, both teams came into this crucial game 3 looking to gain the upper hand, on what is promising to be an exciting back and forth rivalry.
Goaltender Gordie Defiel, who's outstanding 39 save performance was crucial in helping Coquitlam win game 2, picked up right where he left off early in this one. Mid-way through the first period, Prince George had outshot Coquitlam 9-2 and looked poised to open the scoring, but Defiel had other plans. The Minnesota native had stopped all 13 shots fired his way by the Spruce Kings at the first intermission.
The rest of the Express players picked up their goalie's effort by dominating the middle frame. Coqutilam outshot their opposition 12-4 in the second period and was able to take the lead thanks to a great individual effort by Cody Boyd. After only scoring 4 goals all season, Boyd looked like a true goals scorer on the play, going around a defender with speed before cutting in on net and beating Prince George goalie Alex Murray five-hole.
Coquitlam went into shutdown mode in the third, while guarding a one goal lead. Defensively the Express just would not give Prince George any quality scoring chances while the clock kept on ticking. In the few times he was needed late in the game, Defiel was a wall, making key save after key save. The 700 plus anxious fans, breathed a loud and collective sign of relief after Bo Pieper finally supplied an insurance marker with just over two minutes to go. Things got heated between the two rivals in the dying seconds of the game, when a brawl between players led multiple game misconducts and major penalties to be assessed. Nevertheless, when the clock finally ran out, the Express took a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series thanks to a 2-0 win on the night.
Defiel was given his second consecutive player the game hat by his teammates and was also selected first star with his 24 save shutout. His success so far in the series has been a combination of things he explains, “our defence has been clearing pucks a lot, I've been getting my body in front of screen shots and making second effort saves.”
It is unknown if there will be any suspensions given out after the happenings late in the game, but either way it will be a quick turn around for the Express with tomorrow's game 4 now their main focus.
With a win Saturday night, the Express can take a strangle hold on the series and leave themselves with a few cracks at finishing things off. It is important for Coquitlam to take full advantage of these games at home Defiel stressed, “their rink is pretty hard to play in, their fans really get into it and their team plays a lot better their rink, it's good to get one here and we have to stay focused and get one tomorrow as well”.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. back at the Porier Sports & Leisure complex, in a game which will go a long way in determining the outset of the series. All three games so far have been very tight and are not expected to change. “Every game here on out will be just like they have been, and continue to very physical”, the Coquitlam net minder adds.
