Drew Garzone Leads Coquitlam Express to Big 7-1 Win over Alberni Valley
Drew Garzone’s impressive performance propelled the Coquitlam Express to a resounding 7-1 victory against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Saturday. The game, held at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex, saw Garzone score three goals and provide an assist, firmly securing the team’s triumph.
From the start, Alberni Valley showed promise as Hayden Stavroff found the back of the net just 3:06 into the game, giving his team an early lead. However, Coquitlam quickly turned the tide in their favor.
Grady Lenton, scoring his first goal in the BCHL, ignited the Express’ offensive surge at 8:07. Garzone followed suit with two goals of his own, propelling his team to a 3-1 lead by the end of the period.
After the break, Jake Manfre extended Coquitlam’s advantage to 4-1 with his 14th goal of the season just 1:34 into the second period. The team didn’t let up in the final period, with Joseph Odyniec and Jackson Krill both finding the back of the net early on. Garzone then secured his hat trick, skillfully chipping the puck over Bulldogs’ goalie Callum Tung after Luke Vardy’s shot looped over the goal line.
Garzone’s exceptional performance was complemented by the contributions of Krill, Manfre, and Vardy, each of whom earned two points throughout the game. Despite goalie Adam Manji leaving the game due to an injury after making 11 saves, his replacement Ethan Simcoe proved solid, stopping all 19 shots he faced.
Coquitlam’s offensive prowess was evident as they unleashed a total of 33 shots on goal, leaving Alberni Valley’s goalies Callum Tung and Even Leggett grappling to defend their net.
Coquitlam will now take a well-deserved holiday break until December 29th. Their return to action will be met with back-to-back games against the Powell River River Kings. Following this, the team will embark on a challenging road trip consisting of seven consecutive away games before their midweek day game against Chilliwack on January 24th.
With this decisive victory, the Coquitlam Express have demonstrated their potency as a force to be reckoned with in the BC Hockey League, leaving their fans eager for more thrilling performances in the coming weeks.
