The #2-seed Surrey Eagles slowed the #7 Coquitlam Express in Game 1 of their Coastal quarter-final series with a 4-2 win at South Surrey Arena.
Richard Vanderhoek opened the scoring for Surrey just more than five minutes into the contest but Coquitlam's Riley McIntosh equalized with just over five minutes to go in the opening period.
Surrey seemed to take hold of the game early in the second with two goals in short order from Brad McGowan and Tyler Morley on the power play. But Coquitlam's leading scorer during the regular season, Massimo Lamacchia, brought his squad back within one on an unassisted effort.
The game was still up for grabs midway through the third when Surrey's regular-season scoring leader McGowan notched his second of the game to provide the insurance marker.
In Westside, the #5 Trail Smoke Eaters walked into Royal LePage Place and handed the #4 Warriors a 4-2 loss on the strength of two goals from Cullen Bradshaw. Bradshaw opened the scoring on the power play in the first and Nic Desousa made it 2-0 in the second before Warriors captain Alex Grieve tallied. Bradshaw restored the two-goal lead and Scott Jacklin made it a three-goal cushion in the third before Quinn Gould scored the final Westside goal.
After a scoreless first in Victoria, the #5 Nanaimo Clippers and #4 Grizzlies combined for seven second period goals. Unfortunately for the Clips, six were by Victoria on their way to a 9-1 win. Three of the Grizz goals in the second came on the power play from Taylor Pernerowski, Wesley Myron and Wade Murphy. Madison Dias also scored shorthanded. Myles Fitzgerald had the Clips goal. Dias, Joel Lowry and Murphy scored in the third.
Dan Marshall's call of the 2-0 goal by Michael Colantone
In Langley, the #3 Chiefs and # 6 Alberni Valley Bulldogs put in an extra shift in a 5-4 Chiefs OT win as Trevor Gerling scored the clincher with just over three minutes remaining in the first OT. Langley seemed to have a firm grasp with a 3-1 lead after two periods on goals by Trevor Gerling, Kevin Tuohy and Kody Dhaliwal. But the 'Dogs turned the tables in the third getting goals from Dylan Nowakowski, Connor Varley and Connor Bailey.
In Salmon Arm the #3 SilverBacks ambushed the #6 Merritt Centennials with three first-period goals and two more in the second on their way to a 7-2 win. Brett Hull Trophy winner Mike Hammond had two of the goals and the Gorillas actually made it 6-0 in the third before Merritt got goals from Billy Marshall and Max Vallis. Charlie Vasaturo's second of the game rounded out the 'Backs scoring.
'Backs coach Kehler on getting a good start in the postseason:
In Penticton, the #2 Vees took a 2-0 series lead on the #7 Quesnel Millionaires with a second-consecutive 5-1 win. Myles McCauley on the power play in the first, two from Logan Johnston in the second and a goal from Joey Laleggia made it 4-0 before Spencer Graboski got Quesnel on the board. Curtis Loik scored in the third and Mark MacMillan had four helpers and now leads playoff scorers in the early going with five assists.
