The Coquitlam Express put an end to two Victoria Grizzlies streaks on Friday night, beating Victoria 5-4 at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.
The loss to the Express snapped a four-game winning streak by the Grizzlies and at 16:49 of the first period, Tyler Kopff of the Express halted Grizzlies netminder Oliver Auyeung-Ashton’s shutout streak at 222 minutes and 49 seconds. That was just 30 minutes shy of the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Hockey League record.
Victoria opened the scoring Friday when Owen Bohn buried a breakaway at 9:25 of the first period. The two teams went to the break tied at 1-1 before Coquitlam took control in the second, or at least they thought they did. Coco Armstrong, Mateo Dixon and Colton Alexander scored within two minutes late in the period to go to the second intermission with a 4-1 lead. But the Grizzlies, with Gus Holt replacing Auyeung-Ashton between the pipes, came out for the third buzzing and quickly put three goals, two on the power play, past Express netminder Adam Manji.
But with just 17 seconds left in regulation, Coquitlam’s Evan Brown beat Holt to secure the win for the Express (13-8-3-1) and allow them to extend their lead in the standing to five points over the Grizzlies (11-11-1-2) in the race for third place in the Coastal Conference.
Jacksenn Hungle, Reegan Hiscock and Olivier Picard had the Grizzlies goals in the third period.
The Grizzlies get right back at it tonight with a 6 p.m. game in Chilliwack against the Chiefs. Then it’s over to Langley for a Sunday afternoon tilt with the Rivermen. The Grizzlies’ next home game is Dec. 17 when the Powell River Kings pay a visit to The Q Centre.
