Massimo Rizzo scored a pair of goals and added two assists to lead the Coquitlam Express to a 5-1 over the Langley Rivermen in the first game of their best-of-seven BC Hockey League playoff series, Friday at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
Rizzo scored once in the second period to give the Express a 2-0 lead, and again on a power play midway through the third period to increase Coquitlam’s advantage to 5-0. He also set up goals by Joey Berkopec and Nicholas Carabin.
Coquitlam led 1-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the final frame.
Langley broke the shutout beat by Express goalie Jack Watson with 55 seconds left in regulation time. Watson stopped 23 shots.
The teams’ familiarity with each other — they met seven times during the regular season — boiled over in the third period with several skirmishes after the whistle and a fight between Langley’s Ryan Helliwell and Tyler Schleppe of the Express. Both players were ejected with game misconducts.
Game two of the opening round series goes Sunday night, 7 p.m., at Poirier.
