The Chilliwack Chiefs scored four times in the third period — one of them into an empty net — to defeat the Coquitlam Express 5-3 in their BC Hockey League game Saturday at the Prospera Centre in Chilliwack.
After entering the final frame tied at a goal apiece, the Chiefs broke the game open with goals by Skyler Brind’Amour and Harrison Blaisdell.
Connor Gregga got the Express back to within one 31 seconds later with his second power play goal of the night.
But less than two minutes later the Chiefs regained their two-goal advantage when Blaisdell put his second goal past Express goalie Kolby Matthews.
With just over 90 seconds left in the third period, Christian Sanda scored to pull the Express a goal back again, but Blaisdell completed his hat trick into the empty net to extinguish the threat.
Matthews stopped 16 of the 20 shots he faced in the Express net, while his teammates fired 22 shots at Chiefs’ goalie Daniel Chenard.
The loss leaves Coquitlam four points ahead of the Langley Rivermen in the race for third place in the BCHL’s Mainland division. Langley lost its game Saturday, 5-2 to Nanaimo.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, moved into a tie with Prince George atop the division after the Spruce Kings lost 5-2 to Cowichan Valley.
The Express return home to begin a six-game run of games at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex beginning Monday at 7 p.m. against the West Kelowna Warriors.
