The Express made it 3 consecutive wins on Saturday night with a 5-1 win over the Merritt Centennials.
The powerplay got the home team off to a fast start with markers from Steve Axford and Brad Reid.
The turning point came in the 2nd period again on special teams. With Riley Mcintosh and Matt Hutchinson in the box, the Cents had a 5 on 3 advantage for over a minute. It was the biggest test of the season for the struggling Express PK which met the challenge. Luke Hernandez came up with a game turning save robbing Max Vallis with a great right pad save on a back door feed. That sequence set the tone for the first perfect night on the penalty kill for the Express of the season.
That prevented the Cents from getting some life. Coquitlam killed off the penalties and took advantage of the momentum. Minutes later Brad Reid scored his second of the game to open up a 3-0 Express lead.
The Express extended their lead in the third period with Austin Carroll re-directing Matt Mazzarolo's point shot for his first BCHL goal to give the Express a 4-0 lead. Then Riley Mcintosh made a great heads up slap pass to Garrick Perry who tipped it home for the Express' 3rd powerplay goal of the game.
Kameran Crawford spoiled Luke Hernandez's shutout bid with a screened point shot with less than 3 minutes to go to round out the scoring.
Less than 24 hours later the Express were right back at it for their third game of the weekend in Surrey. It was a re-match from Friday's game where the Express knocked off the Eagles 3-2 in the home opener.
Surrey was looking for a measure of revenge on home ice and to try and snap a 2 game losing streak.
Coquitlam opened the scoring on a quick transition play which resulted in Zac Ashdown scoring on a breakaway midway through the first period.
But the lead didn't last long. Just 36 seconds later off a won faceoff in the Express zone Eric Cooper wired a shot over the shoulder of Khaleed Devji to tie it up.
Then Mike Krogvich gave the Eagles their first lead on a powerplay roofing a feed from behind the Express net over the shoulder of Devji.
Surrey added another before the period was done. Jeff Vanderlugt used his size to come down the right wing and protect the puck. Then fire a perfect pass on the tape of Bradley McGowan who re-directed it over Devji to give Surrey 3 unanswered goals to end the 1st period.
The Express chipped away at Surrey's lead in the 2nd period with Destry Straight scoring his second goal of the season sliding it past Andrew Hunt early in the middle frame. Then with the Express on the powerplay, Jason Grecica pulled the Express even scoring his second goal in as many games vs. his old mates at 15:33.
With momentum in their back pocket, the Express had a chance following Grecica's goal to take the lead for the second time with a powerplay.
But the Eagles swung the game in their favour as the Morley brothers broke out shorthanded and Brandon put it in front for Tyler who re-stored the Surrey lead with a shorthanded goal. It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the Express this season.
Then in the third the Eagles pulled away with goals from Micheal Stenerson, Jeff Vanderlugt and Brandon Morley's first BCHL goal to make the final 7-3 in favour of the Eagles.
The rubber match of the 3 games in less than a week between the Express and Eagles will go Wednesday night at the Coquitlam Sports Centre.
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