Cents can’t hold on in 7-6 OT Loss

Friday night was former Assistant Coach Brandon Shaw’s return to the NVMA, as he lead his Coquitlam Express into battle versus the Merritt Centennials.

The Cents would welcome Shaw back with a goal on their first shot of the game. Jerzy Orchard would win an offensive zone draw back to Sam Ward who would beat Adam Manji low glove side for his first goal in the BCHL.

A short time later, the puck would pinball through the high slot before finally settling onto the stick of Blake Astorino who would fire home his first of the season to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Express would punch back, when Talon Zakall got his pocket picked and Coquitlam would go in 2-on-0 with Tyler Kopff would bury past Keegan Maddocks. Score after 20 minutes 2-1 Merritt, Maddocks stopping 13/14 in the opening frame.

Special teams was the name of the game in the middle stanza, with three powerplay goals, and a shorty scored over the 20 minutes.

It started with the Express coming out strong, scoring less than 3 minutes in, when Carter Cochrane beat Maddocks on the powerplay. Then Jayden Sison picked off a Zakall pass and went in all alone beating Maddocks five-hole to give Coquitlam their first lead 3-2.

Merritt would respond with Ryan Mulrenin showing off his patience to beat Manji, to tie the game again at 3-3.

The Cents powerplay drought would then come to and end on attempt 28, when Ben Ward skated in the right wing and beat Manji clean to restore the lead 4-3.

Still on the powerplay, Merritt to allow a second shorthanded goal in the game when Ryan Tattle played give and go to Kahil Fontana to beat Maddock and level the score.

With under a minute left in the contest, Davide Patella would strike on the powerplay as he found a loose puck to give the Cents a 5-4 lead after 40.

The third period would continue the craziness, with another shorthanded goal by Coquitlam.

Early on Wyatt Marlow restored the two goal lead finding the rebound in front.

Then Coquitlam would battle back to tie it following goals from James Bohn, and then another shorty from Jayden Sison made it 6-6.

The Cents had an extended major powerplay at the end of regulation but couldn’t bulge the twine, as Merritt collected their first point has the game entered OT.

In overtime it was the Express completing the comeback with Sison burying his hat trick goal for the winner. 7-6 the final on OT.