Steve Bellini scored 18 seconds into overtime to give the Coquitlam Express a 3-2 win over the Surrey Eagles Sunday and preserve the team’s perfect record this season at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The win put the Express five points ahead of the Penticton Vees atop the BC Hockey League standings, and 17 points up on the second-place Chilliwack Chiefs in the Mainland division.
After Coquitlam and Surrey traded goals in the first period, Joshua Wildauer put the home team in front 5:36 into the second period, completing a passing play from linemates Greg Lapointe and Cooper Connell.
But the Eagles were able to tie it less than six minutes later as Gabe Schovanek scored Surrey’s second power play goal of the game with Coquitlam’s Ethan O’Rourke serving a two-minute minor for cross-checking.
Neither team scored in the third period, even as the Express rained 12 shots on Surrey netminder Thomas Scarfone, who faced a total of 35 shots in the game. Clay Stevenson made 20 saves in Coqutilam’s net.
The Express will look to extend its home-ice winning streak to 16 games when the team hosts Chilliwack on Friday at 7 p.m.
