The Chiefs got goals from five different players and 25 saves from Mathieu Caron in a 5-4 win over the visiting Coquitlam Express Friday night at Prospera Centre.
The win improved the Chiefs record to 8-3-0-0 while Coquitlam fell to 7-5-0-0.
Taking advantage of an Express defensive zone mistake, Chiefs forward Matt Holmes opened the scoring at the 4:31 mark of the opening period. All alone from thirty feet out, Holmes calmly skated in and beat Express netminder Kolby Matthews with a wrist shot to the stick side. The goal was the fifth of the season for Holmes. Carter Wilkie picked up the only assist.
Harrison Blaisdell gave the Chiefs at 2-0 just over seven minutes into the first period. Stealing the puck at his own blueline, Blaisdell outraced the Express defenders before whipping home his seventh of the season past Matthews.
Alex DiPaulo got the Express on the board, tapping home a loose puck in the Chiefs crease while the Express were on the power play.
Shots after one period favored the home team 12-5.
The Express got the tying goal from Connor Gregg just past the midway mark of the second period. After the Chiefs failed in a clearing attempt, the puck was kept in the Chiefs zone by DiPaulo who found Gregg with the puck in the left faceoff circle. Gregg’s howitzer of a wrist shot beat Chiefs goaltender high on the short side.
The Chiefs then struck for three goals in 88 seconds to take a commanding three goal lead.
Jacob Slipec broke the tie, tipping in a Powell Connor point shot to make the score 3-2.
Twenty-five seconds later, with the Chiefs on the power play Skyler Brind’Amour found a loose puck near the Express crease and roofed home his first of the season to make it 4-2.
With the Chiefs on another power play it was Cole Donhauser connecting for his fourth of the season to make the score 5-2 Chiefs after forty minutes.
The Express made it interesting in the third, getting goals from Nicholas Wildgoose and Drew Cooper but that’s as close as the Express would get.
Chilliwack finished the night 2/6 on the power play and 6/8 on the penalty kill.
The Chiefs are back in action Saturday night when they host the defending BCHL champion Wenatchee Wild. Game time is 7pm.
Game Notes: With the win tonight the Chiefs improved their unbeaten streak against the Express to 28 games including playoffs…Former Chief Regan Kimens was presented with his RBC Cup Championship ring prior to the game. Kimens extended his point streak to eight games with a first period assist…
