A poor first period proved too much for the Coquitlam Express to overcome as the BC Hockey League team lost its fourth straight game, 6-3, to the Nanaimo Clippers, Saturday in Nanaimo.
The Clippers opened the scoring after just a minute had been played and by the time the teams retreated to the dressing rooms for the first intermission, the home side was up 5-0.
Coquitlam fought back with a pair of goals in the second period and another 1:28 into the final frame. But an empty net goal by Nanaimo’s Jérémie Payant with 37 seconds remaining iced the Clippers’ third win in a row.
Mirko Buttazzoni had a goal and an assist for the Express. Other scorers were Mateo Dixon and Emmett McHardy.
Adam Manji allowed five goals on 32 shots in Coqutilam’s net while his teammates directed 40 shots at Nanaimo keeper Aidan Campbell.
The Express close out its three-game swing across the middle of Vancouver Island on Sunday afternoon, with a game against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, which hasn’t won in the past seven games.
