A loss on Sunday afternoon guaranteed that the Cowichan Valley Capitals will finish fifth in the B.C. Hockey League’s Island Division and face the Interior Division’s top team in the first round of the playoffs.
As a result of their 4-1 defeat by the Coquitlam Express on Sunday, the Caps can’t accrue any more than 42 points this season. The fourth-place Alberni Valley Bulldogs, who beat the Caps on Friday, already have 43 points.
The Express led 3-0 after two periods on Sunday before Brady Lynn got the Caps on the board at 13:30 of the third. Coquitlam added an empty-netter in the final minute of the game.
Jack Grant had 24 saves in the Cowichan net in his first start since Jan. 25, while Coquitlam’s Clay Stevenson made 26 saves.
The Caps will face either the Penticton Vees or the Merritt Centennials in the first round of the BCHL playoffs. Penticton currently leads Merritt by two points, and both teams have three games left in the regular season.
The Caps will play their last home game of the regular season against Alberni Valley next Saturday at 6 p.m., and visit the Victoria Grizzlies the following afternoon.