The Coquitlam Express have been derailed from the BC Hockey League playoffs.
Dylan Kinch scored 8:21 into overtime to give the Chilliwack Chiefs a 6-5 win over the Express Friday at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex and clinch their best-of-seven opening round playoff series, four games to one.
The Chiefs victory spoiled a stunning comeback late in the third period by Express, which scored two goals in 24 seconds with goalie Brady Smith on the bench for an extra attacker to tie the game and force overtime.
Down 5-3 after squandering an early 2-0 lead, Coquitlam coach Patrick Sexton called a timeout with 2:28 remaining in the third period. When play was ready to resume, Smith stayed behind.
Evan Brown scored unassisted 49 seconds later to pull the home team to within a goal. Then, 24 seconds after that, Tyler Kopff netted his third goal of the playoffs to tie the score, 5-5.
The Express had a golden opportunity to cap the comeback with a win early in the overtime when Chilliwack’s Sasha Teleguine was sent to the penalty box for interference at 4:24, but Coquitlam’s power play couldn’t take advantage.
Colton Alexander and Drew Garzone scored three minutes apart in the first period to give the Express the early lead, but Chiefs responded quickly with three straight goals of their own to go to the dressing room with a 3-2 advantage.
Chilliwack extended its lead to 4-2 on a goal by AJ Lacroix after seven minutes had been played in the second period. But Cameron Moger got that back for the Express just over three minutes later.
Dalton MacGillivray restored the Chiefs advantage 15;10 into the third period.
Smith stopped 41 of the 47 shots he faced in Coqutilam’s net, while the Express fired 35 shots at Chilliwack goalie Austin McNicholas.
