The Penticton Vees scored twice in the first five minutes to send the Coquitlam Express to their fifth loss in row, 4-3, Friday at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
The visitors quick start chased Express goalie Kolby Matthews from the crease in favour of Clay Stevenson, who went on to stop 18 of the 20 shots he faced.
The hosts also seemed to settle down after the goalie switch, as Connor Gregga scored a minute later to halve the Vees’ advantage then another by Hunter Alden, 3:26 into the second period, tied it.
Cole Shepard put the Vees back in front at 12:53 of the middle frame when he converted a breakaway.
James Miller’s goal 7:18 in the third period, just after Coquitlam’s Dallas Farrell returned to the ice after serving a minor penalty for hooking, put the Vees up 4-2.
The Express closed the gap to 4-3 when Pito Walton scored on the power play with just under five minutes to play in regulation time.
With Stevenson on the bench for the extra attacker, Coquitlam had several chances to score with the game in its waning moments but they couldn’t get the puck past Penticton keeper Jack Lafontaine.
The Express will have to wait a week to try to get back into the win column when they play the Victoria Grizzlies in Victoria next Friday.
