The Coquitlam Express have a new coach, but they still don’t have a win since Oct. 13.
The Express couldn’t break through during two periods of overtime and stalemated the Langley Rivermen 3-3 in their BC Hockey League game Wednesday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex.
It was the first game for newly-hired bench boss Jason Fortier after Barry Wolff was let go by the team on Monday.
So far this season the Express have had the upper hand on the scoreboard only three times, and they’re 23 points behind their nearest rivals in the Mainland division, the Chilliwack Chiefs.
That futility continued Wednesday. But they did show some much-needed spark after a pair of losses on a weekend road trip to Prince George.
Sam Kozlowski opened the scoring when he snapped a shot past Langley keeper Chad Kromar seven minutes into the first period and the team seemed to have some extra jump as they created a number of odd-man rushes.
But Brendan Budy got Langley even just before the end of the period and Nicholas Ponak scored 37 seconds after the break to give the Rivermen the lead.
A pair of goals by Eric Linell put Coquitlam back in front until Ethan Leyh tied it midway through the third period.
Neither team scored in the two overtime periods, even though the Express enjoyed a power play after the Rivermen’s Jayden Lee was whistled for tripping three minutes into the first extra frame.
Linell’s two goals earned him the game’s first star, while Alex Ambrosio scored two assists and was named the third star. Goalie Brock Hamm stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced in the Express net.
The Express will play the Chiefs in Chilliwack on Friday. They then host Victoria Sunday afternoon, 2 p.m. at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex.
