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Coquitlam Express drop the first of three games on Vancouver Island

The loss was Coquitlam's third in a row
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Coquitlam Express forward Tyler Kopff scored the tying goal in the second period against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs but the team gave up three in the third to lose 5-2.

The Coquitlam Express surrendered three goals in the third period and kicked off a three-game swing on Vancouver Island with a 5-2 loss to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Friday in Port Alberni.

After surrendering a pair of goals to the home team in the first period, the visitors fought back in the middle frame. Liam Tanner scored on a power play 9:07 in then Tyler Kopff with tied it with two minutes left when he corralled the puck behind the Bulldogs’ net and deposited it behind Alberni Valley goalie Hobie Hedquist on a wrap around. It was his fifth goal of the season.

 

 

But a series of penalties in the third period snubbed any chance the Express had to maintain its momentum.

Matthew Maltais put the Bulldogs back in front at 13:12 and his second goal of the game into an empty net with 50 seconds left in regulation time doubled the advantage.

Another goal 44 seconds later by Alberni Valley’s Logan Holm, with Express goalie Adam Manji on the bench for an extra attacker, sealed the visitors’ fate.

Tanner added an assist to his goal to lead Coquitlam’s offence as the Express fired 35 shots at Hedquist. Manji made 35 saves.

The loss was Coquitlam’s third in a row, while Alberni Valley won for the first time in four games.

The Express face the Coastal conference-leading Nanaimo Clippers in Nanaimo tonight, then wraps up its month of road games Sunday afternoon in Cowichan Valley. The team, that last played a home Oct. 2, returns to the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex on Wednesday (Nov. 2) for a special afternoon game against the Langley Rivermen at 12 noon.