The Chiefs, 3-5-0-2 in their last 10 games, ended the month on a sour note Saturday, after losing 4-2 to the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals at the Langley Events Centre.

The loss drops Langley’s record to 27-20-1-7 with five games to go in the regular season.

“We’re not playing or firing on all cylinders like we believe we’re capable of,” Chiefs head coach Harvey Smyl said. “We seem to have different issues every different night. It’s all about getting our game back right now.”

Smyl said Ius is close to returning to the lineup, but the team will know more about his status this week.

The Chiefs and Caps were tied 2-2 after two periods of play. The game looked destined for overtime before Cowichan Valley’s Tyler Matheson collected the puck in the slot and wristed a puck through Chiefs’ goaltender Wyatt Galley with 1:44 to play in regulation time. Smyl said the goal came as a result of a turnover which is, he said, “something you don’t want to have happen this time of year.”

“When you get into a 2-2 game, you want to make sure you can eliminate any kind of mistake you can,” he noted.

Matheson’s go-ahead goal was promptly followed by an empty net marker from the Capitals’ Jordan Grant, his second of the game, to seal the win.

Chiefs captain Trevor Gerling, who was flying all night for the home team, scored the only goal of the second period and assisted on Josh Myers’ team-leading 34th of the season to open the game’s scoring.

The Capitals scored twice in the opening 20 minutes to carry a 2-1 lead into the second frame.

“When it was 2-2, we had a bunch of great chances and didn’t score,” Smyl said. “We did some good thing and did some bad things.”

Coquitlam Express 4, Chiefs 3

Friday at the Coquitlam Sports Centre, the Express never trailed, and held on for a one goal victory.

Coquitlam led 1-0 after the first period, 3-2 after two periods, and held a 4-2 advantage after Mark Begart scored the home team’s second powerplay goal of the night at the 5:15 mark of the final frame.

Chiefs’ defenceman Tim Daly scored on a powerplay with 1:25 to play in the contest to bring his team within a goal, but that was as close as the visitors would get.

Langley other goal-scorers were Myers, 35 seconds into the second period to tie the game 1-1, and Josh Hansen.

The Express out-shot the Chiefs 13-5 in the first period. Langley found its skating legs as the game wore on, and turned the tables in the third when they out-shot the Express 15-8, but couldn’t rally to tie the affair.

The goaltenders, Coquitlam’s Khaleed Devji and Langley’s Cole Huggins, were named second and third stars of the game, respectively.

Chiefs 4, Coquitlam Express 3

A sprinkling of fans at the LEC watched the Chiefs pull out a dramatic win over the express.

Mike Tebbutt’s second of the night, scored with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Chiefs past the Express in front of just 1,006 fans Thursday.

The teams entered the first intermission tied 1-1.

Goals from Gerling and Myers put the Chiefs ahead 3-1 after 40 minutes of play.

With just under eight minutes to play in the game, the Express stormed back to tie the game when they scored goals 1:53 apart, setting up Tebbutt’s late game dramatics.

Wyatt Galley stopped 23 of 26 Express shots to earn the victory in goal for the Chiefs.

It was a tame contest, with just five minor penalties (two to the Express, three to the Chiefs) handed out between the two teams.

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With a new month comes new hope for the Chiefs to find their form before the playoffs start.

They return to the LEC Thrusday to host the Victoria Grizzlies. Game time is 7 p.m.