The Coquitlam Express couldn’t take advantage of a man advantage opportunity in overtime and ended up losing 2-1 in a shootout to the Langley Rivermen Saturday at the George Preston Arena.
Langley is now six points back of the Express, who hold down third place in the BC Hockey League’s Mainland Division. The Rivermen have played one less game.
The Express, who lost 3-2 to Langley on Friday in the front end of their home-and-home series, opened the scoring 2:17 into the first period when Joshua Wildauer converted a cross-ice pass from Ty Westgard.
For more than 40 minutes that stood as the game’s only goal, until Langley’s Jake Livingstone tied it at 5:25 of the third period on a power play just eight seconds after Coquitlam’s Juliano Santalucia was called for hooking.
Coquitlam had several opportunities in overtime to win the game. Connor Gregga was stopped on a breakaway by Rivermen goalie Shayne Battler and the team wasn’t able to score during a four-on-three power play after Langley’s Tanner Verluis was called for hooking midway through the extra frame.
Both goalies, Battler and Coquitlam’s Kolby Matthews, continued their impenetrable play in the shootout which went seven rounds before Chase Pletzke scored the decisive goal after Chase Danol had scored earlier for the Express and Mark Gallant tied it for Langley.
Matthews stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced in the game, while Battler made 23 saves.
The Express will be in Chilliwack on Wednesday for a game against the Chiefs, who sit atop the Mainland Division, then move on to Prince George for a pair of matches against the second-place Spruce Kings on Friday and Saturday.
