We need to launch an investigation. Somewhere out there a cardiac medication company is funnelling money into the Express organization. It is the only explanation for the sheer amount of heart attacks Coquitlam have been inspiring this season.
The Comeback Kings had to dig into their bag of tricks once again as they built a lead, gave it all away, only to tie the game in the final 30 seconds of regulation, and then win it all in overtime. Where have I heard that story before?
Through 20 minutes of action at the Train Station tonight the game was tied at 0-0. The opening frame gave us just a hint of what was to transpire. Both teams traded aggressive forechecks and battled just about as hard as we have seen from this rivalry.
Coquitlam got on the scoresheet twice in the middle frame to land the first blows. Carson McGinley stayed red hot and notched his 6th as an Express and 10th of the season overall. Then McGinley added an assist to his statline as he set up Nikita Sitnikov on the powerplay for the Kazakhstani’s first career BCHL goal. The cherry on top of the middle frame was without a doubt the heavyweight tilt between Leo Eperjesi and Arjun Bawa. Both combatants dropped the gloves when Eperjesi stood up for Mason Kesselring after Bawa kneed him in the neutral zone. Helmets were popped and lights were nearly knocked straight out as the rights landed with force. Eperjesi heavily staggered Bawa with a strike that caused him to slow right down and the fight ended soon after.
The Chiefs are the top team in the Coastal Conference for a reason and they reminded the Express of that fact by roaring back to take the lead with a 3-0 run in the third. As Kyle Johnson put it after the game, the “worst lead in hockey” lived up to its name. Brendyn Van Oene wacked home a rebound from a Lucas Sorace shot to make it 2-1. Connor Dick took advantage of a horrible bounce from the defence and wired home a shot from the slot to tie the game. Finally, Mateo Mrsic let a wrister go from the centre point and it beat a perfectly screened Andrew Ness to take the lead.
Enter the Cardiac Kids once again.
With time winding down the Express went to the extra attacker and had an opportunity 6-on-4 thanks to a late penalty taken by the Chiefs. They couldn’t get it done on the powerplay but they were smart with puck possession and kept peppering Chilliwack in the attacking zone. The clock crested 30 seconds remaining and with the pressure mounting, Carson McGinley threaded a pass through to the slot for a waiting Joseph Odyniec. Jumbo Joe banged home his 16th of the year and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
They had no idea what the home side had in store next.
After a thrilling overtime filled with chances on either end, the Express delivered the deathblow with under a minute to go in the extra frame. Joseph Odyniec won a puck battle in the defensive zone and fed Trip Pendy who raced down ice with Cooper Wilson. Pendy keeps finding a way to deliver in overtime so he threw a saucy feed to Wilson who without hesitation shot the puck home past Sebastian Gatto to end the night.
Games are never going to go exactly as you draw them up. It’s the ability to improvise, adapt and overcome that is the most important when push comes to shove. This game had a playoff-type atmosphere with plenty of bad blood after the whistles and the battling every shift was remarkable. These are the contests you make statements with, and that is exactly what we got from Coquitlam tonight.
The Express are back at it Saturday night on home ice as the Surrey Eagles come to town for our Women in Sports Night.
FORTIS BC ENERGY PLAYER – Leo Eperjesi
MARINER BREWING THREE STARS
3rd – CHWK – Connor Dick – 1G 1A
2nd – COQ – Cooper Wilson – OT Winner
1st – COQ – Carson McGinley – 1G 2A
– Ian Wilson
