A pair of goals in the third period wasn’t enough for the Coquitlam Express to overcome the four they’d already spotted the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The Spruce Kings’ 4-2 victory over the Express clinched their best-of-seven BC Hockey League playoff series, four games to one.
After forcing a return trip to Rolling Rock Concrete Arena by winning the series’ fourth game Tuesday, 3-0, it took the Express until almost the midway point of the third period to get rolling themselves. By then it was two late.
Two goals in the first period, a goal early in the second and another 5:07 into the third period had already give the host Spruce Kings a 4-0 lead.
The visitors finally sparked to life shortly after coach Jason Fortier called a timeout to rally his charges. They responded, with Dallas Farrell getting Coquitlam on the board at 8:44.
Jack Cameron pulled the Express to within a pair of goals when he scored with just over five minutes left in regulation, eight seconds after Prince George finished killing off a roughing penalty to Liam Watson-Brawn.
That’s as close as Coquitlam got.
Clay Stevenson, who got the shutout Tuesday to extend the series to a fifth game, had another solid night in the Express net. He stopped 34 of the 38 shots he faced. His teammates fired 26 at Spruce Kings’ keeper Logan Neaton.
Prince George now await the winner of the series between the Langley Rivermen and Chilliwack Chiefs.
The upstart Rivermen won the first three games against the regular season champions, but have lost the last two games by scores of 2-1. Game six in that series goes Friday night in Langley.
