Drew Garzone scored three times and added an assist to lead the Coquitlam Express to a 7-1 win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Saturday at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The seven goals matches Coquitlam’s biggest offensive effort of the BC Hockey League season when they defeated the Cowichan Valley Capitals 7-4 on Oct. 6.
Alberni Valley, coming off a 6-4 loss to the Chilliwack Chiefs on Friday, opened the scoring just 3:06 into the game when Hayden Stavroff beat Express goalie Adam Manji for his 16th goal of the season.
After that, though, it was all Coquitlam.
Grady Lenton scored his first BCHL goal at 8:07 then Garzone netted a pair to send the Express into the dressing room with a 3-1 lead.
Jake Manfre extended the advantage to 4-1 with his 14th goal of the season 1:34 after the break.
Joseph Odyniec and Jackson Krill scored early in the third period before Garzone completed his hat trick when he chipped the puck over the goal line after Luke Vardy’s shot from the slot looped over Bulldogs’ goalie Callum Tung.
In addition to Garzone’s four points, Krill, Manfre and Vardy each had two point nights.
Adam Manji made 11 saves before he left the game with an injury after 5:12 had been played in the second period. He appeared to be favouring his groin as he tried to stretch the problem out before retreating to the dressing room for the rest of the game.
Manji’s replacement, Ethan Simcoe, stopped all 19 shots he faced.
The Express fired 33 shots at Alberni Valley goalies Callum Tung and Even Leggett.
Coquitlam is now off for the holiday break until Dec. 29 when the team travels to Powell River for back to back games against the River Kings to begin an extended run of seven road games that won’t come to an end until the Express host Chilliwack on Jan 24 in a special midweek day game.
