It wasn’t to be for the Express in Salmon Arm last night. An early flurry of pressure and solid overall first period were not enough to tame the #3 seed in the interior as the Silverbacks prevailed 5-2.
Coquitlam had decent zone time numbers for the first period, being aggressive and pushing the pace to establish their game. They got caught on a pinch at the blueline with a chip play that resulted in a 2-on-1. Tanner Walos and JJ Monteiro streaked the other way and made no mistake with a good pass across the defender and blasting it home.
Once in the second period the Silverbacks kept up their momentum with a powerplay marker thanks to a Ryan Gillespie backhander from the near side after an initial stop by Young. Then Issac Lambert added to the tally as a pass skipped over the stick of Patrick Reilley behind the goal and made it to Lambert at the near side post. He powered in front of the goal and slotted a backhand shot past the Coquitlam netminder.
The Express answered back with a nice connection from Patrick Reilley and Jake Manfre. Reilley threaded the needle for a pass from the right side of the neutral zone through the defence to send Manfre right up main street. The pride of Smithtown, New York shielded the puck from the converging Nathaniel Davis and brought it back across the body of the goaltender for a sweet goal. Manfre was scoreless in his last five games so to see his 21st of the year cross the goal line was a great sight.
Issac Lambert tallied his second of the night on a set play from the faceoff circle. Less than three minutes into the third period. A little bump-screen play at the blueline opened him up for a shot heading down hill towards the high slot. There were six bodies between him and Eric Young and somehow this puck made it through everyone to the back of the goal. Traffic in front of the goal is killer and the Express couldn’t clear the pileup.
Coquitlam got a goal to go shortly after a faceoff of their own at the 8:06 mark as James Shannon won a draw forwards and quickly took a shot on net. The rebound came right back to him and he quickly swept a pass to the waiting Kasper Walther-Sneve at the back post.
The comeback bid for the Express was too little too late as they pulled to goalie with just under four minutes remaining but the Silverbacks held. Some great chances were had by Coquitlam but they couldn’t coax the puck across the line. A quick bank feed off the glass sent Riley Ashe out through centre and he scored an empty netter from distance to tidy the game up for Salmon Arm.
Eric Young stopped 34 of 39 in the losing effort in his first back to back start of his early BCHL career. The Express now come back home and recuperate for an island road trip this coming weekend where they see Victoria and Cowichan.
FORTIS BC ENERGY PLAYER – Ryan Grout
MARINER BREWING 3 STARS
3rd – SA – Tristan Allen – 2A
2nd – SA – Reid Varkonyi – 2A
1st – SA – Isaac Lambert – 2G
– Ian Wilson
