UPDATED: The Coquitlam Express are one win away from advancing to the third round of the B.C. Hockey League playoffs after defeating the Langley Rivermen 5-3 after The Tri-City News' deadline Tuesday night.
With three games down in the second round of their BCHL playoff series, neither the Langley Rivermen or the Coquitlam Express hasbeen able to send their fans home happy.
After jumping out to a two-game series lead over the weekend, it was Coquitlam's turn to lose on their ice, dropping a 5-0 decision in front of 800 people at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
It was the most lop-sided loss of the post-season so far for the club, which were expected to play Game 4 Tuesday night after The Tri-City News' deadline.
The Express train went off the rails early in the first period on Monday, when Langley's Jakob Reichert buried a goal past Coquitlam netminder Gordie Defiel 22 seconds into the game.
Rivermen forward Will Cook followed up with a power play goal four minutes later, before Kevin Kilistoff made it 3-0 for the visitors midway through the opening frame. Two more goals from Langley in the second period put the game out of reach for the Express.
EXPRESS TAKE BOTH GAMES IN LANGLEY
Defiel, who has been outstanding since the playoffs began, stopped only 19 of the 24 shots he faced in the game.
Coquitlam was a completely different team in the series opener on Friday, when they defeated the Rivermen 4-2 at the Langley Events Centre.
Canon Pieper drew first blood for the Express in the first period, assisted by Brendan Lamont and the game stayed frozen at one goal each until the final frame. That's when the team's post-season scoring leader Ryan Rosenthal broke the logjam with a goal 3:32 into the third, followed up with an unassisted marker by Cody Boyd.
Boyd, who added an insurance marker in the closing minutes of the game, was named first star.
Coquitlam kept up the effort in Game 2 of the series on Saturday night.
Zach Hodder scored the opener on the power play 2:39 into the first assisted by Rosenthal, who scored with one minute left in the frame to make it 2-0 for the Express.
Neither team scored in the second and Langley's lone goal in the third off the stick of Kilistoff was not enough to ignite their offence. When the clock finally ran down the score was 2-1.
Coquitlam net minder Defiel had his strongest start of the series Saturday, stopping 36 of the 37 shots he faced. He was integral to holding Langley off the board for most of the game and was named second star of the match for his play.
The series continues in Langley on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. and if more games are necessary will return to Coquitlam on Friday at 7 p.m. If the series stretches to seven games, the final match will be held at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday.
For more information go to www.coquitlamexpress.ca.
