Coghlan plays hero as Mariners top EWU in wild Friday night barnburner

Vancouver Island University picked up their second consecutive road win to open their inaugural B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League campaign, topping Eastern Washington by a 6-5 score in a wild end-to-end encounter in Cheney on Friday night.

The game featured 11 goals, 100+ shots and multiple lead changes, with the Mariners hitting the scoreboard first off a Jordan Rauser tally midway through the opening frame.

The Eagles bounced back early in the second, as Brett Mathews, Will Mix and Colton St. John all scored in just over six minutes to stake the hosts to a two-goal lead.

But that advantage quickly evaporated as VIU struck back with three goals of their own before the second intermission. Garrett Halls and Garrett Dunlop scored to tie things up at 3-3 before Gage Colpron gave the visitors their second lead of the night with 1:30 remaining.

The third period was no less dramatic than the second, as Eastern scored twice to re-take the lead before Curtis McCarrick knotted the score once more with 9:21 left in regulation.

It was then VIU captain Ryan Coghlan's turn to play hero, as the former WHL blueliner netted the winner on a power-play minutes later.

Dunlop and Rauser each scored and assisted in the win, while Josh Cook added three helpers. Brett Clark picked up the win in net with a 49-save effort.

Beau Walker scored once and totaled four points for the Eagles, while combining with linemates Mathews and St. John for 10 points on the evening. EWU netminder Austin Brihn was beaten six times on 51 shots in the loss.

VIU now travels north to Castlegar for their first encounter against four-time league champions Selkirk College while Eastern is off until Friday when they hit the road to face SFU.