A pair of power play goals by the Chilliwack Chiefs’ Matt Holmes was the difference in their 4-2 win over the Coquitlam Express Friday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex.
The loss to the BC Hockey League’s top team leaves the Express four points ahead of the Langley Rivermen in their battle for third place in the Mainland division. Those two teams meet in Langley on Saturday.
The Chiefs opened the scoring 3:41 into the first period when Clark Nelson netted just his second goal of the season, unassisted.
The Express tied it after just 35 seconds had been played in the second period. Regan Kimens made a entering pass that somehow bounced up in the air off a Chiefs’ player and past a flailing Chilliwack goalie, Daniel Chenard.
Kevin Wall restored Chilliwack’s lead a little more than three minutes later, but Jared Power tied it again on a one-timer from Jordan Schulting that eluded Chenard’s glove hand.
The Chiefs came out flying in the third period, but a couple of great saves by Coquitlam goalie Kolby Matthews kept the score knotted until almost six minutes into the frame when Holmes scored his 24th goal of the season with Juliano Santalucia in the Express penalty box for slashing.
Coquitlam had several opportunities to tie the score yet again, including an individual rush by Alex DiPaolo and a power play that generated four shots on net. But with Santalucia in the penalty box again, this time for kneeing, Holmes was able to score the insurance goal with 51 seconds left in regulation time.
The Chiefs outshot the Express 31-27.
