The Alberni Valley Bulldogs suffered a 2-1 loss before a capacity crowd on Friday night at the Multiplex. The loss was their 2nd straight and sees them fall behind 3 games to 2 in the best of 7 series. Coquitlam will have their first chance to eliminate the Bulldogs in Game 6 tonight in Coquitlam. Should the Bulldogs force a Game 7, it will take place on Tuesday night in Port Alberni.
Game 5 was far and away the tightest checking contest of the series as both teams mustered just 24 shots each on the night.
Noah Dziver opened the scoring with his 2nd of the post season at the 10:05 mark of the 1st period. Tung made the original save after he was contacted by Sam Frandina in the crease and fell over, the loose puck came out front and Dziver tucked it home. After the officials deliberated, they ruled it a goal, and a 1-0 lead for Coquitlam.
The Bulldogs finally pulled even at 13:48 of the 2nd when Hayden Stavroff tapped in his 3rd of the series. Stavroff drove wide and put a puck on goal that Adam Manji couldn’t handle cleanly. Brady McIsaac corralled the loose puck and threw it back on goal where it rolled through Manji and Stavroff was able to push it across the line to even things up.
There was no scoring until the Express found the game-winner at 15:07 of the 3rd when Joseph Odyniec banged home another goal mouth scramble to give the Express the lead.
Tung finished with 22 saves on 24 shots, while Adam Manji stopped 23 of 24.
The Express were 0 for 2 with the power play while the Bulldogs were 0 for 1. The only power play the Bulldogs were provided on the night came on a too many men on the ice penalty 1:35 into the game.
