The Coquitlam Express stormed back from a 3-1 deficit in the first period by scoring seven straight goals to defeat the Surrey Eagles 8-4 in their BC Hockey League game, Saturday at the South Surrey Arena.
After Coquitlam’s Christian Sanda opened the scoring with a power play goal 2:10 into the game, the Eagles bounced back with three goals of their own.
Another power play goal, this time by Dallas Farrell got the Express to within a goal before the period ended. But from there on in it was all Express.
Connor Gregga, Joshua Wildauer and Dante Ballarin all scored in the second period. Ballarin’s goal was his first, in his first BCHL game.
The onslaught of goals, that all occurred in the first half of the second period, chased Surrey’s starting goalie, Cayden Bailey from the net. He allowed five goals in 21 shots.
But the change didn’t do much to stanch the goals, as Dallas Farrell, Wildauer — each with their second goals of the game — and Logan Kurki put the Express up 8-3 before the third period was half over.
Surrey’s Brandon Santa Juana rounded out the scoring with a power play goal with less than five minutes left in the game.
For the second consecutive night tempers flared in the final frame as Coquitlam’s Jack Cameron, Gregga and Juliano Santalucia and Surrey’s Mack Gary, Max Mohagen and Caige Sterzer were all assessed misconduct penalties for a fracas midway through the period.
Wildauer added a pair of assists to his two goals to lead Express scorers.
Kolby Matthews stopped 37 of the 41 shots he faced in Coquitlam’s net, while his teammates fired 38 shots at the Eagles’ net.
The Express will play the West Kelowna Warriors on Tuesday at Royal LePage Place before they return home for a pair of games next weekend, against Chilliwack on Friday and Power River on Sunday afternoon.
