The Coquitlam Express are hoping to keep their B.C. Hockey League winning streak alive tonight when the Alberni Valley Bulldogs pay a visit to the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.
The team has gone 3-0 so far this month, with the latest victory coming against the Langley Rivermen during Coquitlam's home opener last weekend.
Express coach Jon Calvano said one of the reasons for the team's early success is due to the fact that many of the younger players have quickly gelled with the veterans on the squad.
"I'm sure there were some nerves for some of the rookies," he said. "But with so many returning players, they act as kind of a calming factor."
Coquitlam's power play took advantage of some early Rivemen penalties, with the first goal coming less than two minutes in the opening period off the stick of Malcolm McKinney.
Langley's Viktor Dombrovskiy evened the score but another Rivermen infraction allowed John Siemer to net Coquitlam's second power play goal of the game with five minutes left before the first intermission.
Rivermen forward Trevor Cope evened the scoring in the middle frame but the Express re-took the lead with five minutes to go in the third period.
With the lead secure, the Express made the final minutes of the game a little more interesting when the team ran into some penalty trouble.
Dillan Walker took two minutes for closing his hand on the puck with 1:21 left in the game. Forty-four seconds later Marc Biega gave Langley a five-on-three when he was given a penalty for tripping.
But a strong penalty kill allowed the Express to hang on to the lead and notch its third victory of the season.
"We got into some penalty problems," Calvano said. "But our penalty kill hasn't allowed a goal yet. Eventually we will but that night it helped us a lot."
The Express have a busy weekend ahead of them.
The team will take on Alberni Valley on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.
On Sunday, the Victoria Grizzlies will be in town looking to avenge a 1-0 loss from Coquitlam's first game of the season. That match will take place at 2 p.m.
"Both will be competitive games," Calvano said. "Both of these teams are looking to make some ground on the island. We have to be ready for a hard-fought weekend."
For more information about the Coquitlam Express and the team's upcoming games, go to www.coquitlamexpress.ca.
