The Langley Rivermen topped the Coquitlam Express at the Langley Events Centre Saturday night 4-2.
The shorthanded Express were outshot 38-27, but had quite a few good scoring chances throughout the course of the game they weren't able to finish.
Langley opened the scoring on a powerplay as Matt Ustaski from a sharp angle slid the puck low past the far side on Huggins at 4:51.
The Express responded with a powerplay goal of their own. Mark Begert got his point shot through to the net and John Siemer collected the rebound and showed his slick hands tucking the puck past James Barr.
James Robinson had a great opportunity to put Langley back into the lead. He was hauled down on a partial breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. On the free pass Cole Huggins turned his shot aside. Huggins is three for three on penalty shots faced this season.
Robinson would get a measure of revenge a few minutes later. He carried the puck into the Express zone and behind the net where he centered it for Austin Azurdia who chopped at it and the puck went off an Express defenders stick and over the left shoulder of Huggins to give the Rivermen their second lead of the game.
Langley did take their lead into the second period. But it easily could have been a different story based on the Express chances. Mitchell Fyffe had two good chances alone in front of the net but was denied by Barr. Phil Zielonka rang a shot off the underside off the crossbar in the final seconds of the period.
Zielonka's knack for finding the good scoring areas to shoot from helped lead to the tying goal for the Express. He cut into the slot and got a good shot away. It was stopped but John Siemer was there in front of the net to bang home his second of the game.
Siemer nearly got his third of the game minutes later as he came down the right wing and fired a shot off the post. The chances kept coming for the Express. Mitchell Fyffe had two more good chances to score in the second. His best of the night came on a centering pass at the lip of the crease but couldn't direct home the feed. Callum Hofford had a good chance reading the play and jumping into the rush on a 3 on 2 break but his one timer was turned aside.
Langley took their third lead of the game on a nice goal by the recently acquired Evan Anderson. He made a nice toe drag move to cut the puck into the middle of the ice then snapped a shot over the glove of Cole Huggins.
A turnover deep in the Express zone quickly resulted into some insurance for the Rivermen in the third period. The puck was coughed up deep in the zone and Mario Puskarich quickly set up former Express Evan Campbell who snapped it through the legs of Huggins to seal the game for the Rivermen. Campbell, Robinson and Puskarich each had 2 point nights for the victorious home team.
Saturday's game was the 6th of 7 games for the Express in which they're without the services of Alexander Kerfoot, Zach Pryzbek and Brandon Morley. So far the Express have posted a 3-3 mark in the 6 games without the trio at the World Junior A Challenge. They have a chance to finish the 7 games without those three above .500 when they travel to Surrey for a game on Monday afternoon.
Langley opened the scoring on a powerplay as Matt Ustaski from a sharp angle slid the puck low past the far side on Huggins at 4:51.
The Express responded with a powerplay goal of their own. Mark Begert got his point shot through to the net and John Siemer collected the rebound and showed his slick hands tucking the puck past James Barr.
James Robinson had a great opportunity to put Langley back into the lead. He was hauled down on a partial breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. On the free pass Cole Huggins turned his shot aside. Huggins is three for three on penalty shots faced this season.
Robinson would get a measure of revenge a few minutes later. He carried the puck into the Express zone and behind the net where he centered it for Austin Azurdia who chopped at it and the puck went off an Express defenders stick and over the left shoulder of Huggins to give the Rivermen their second lead of the game.
Langley did take their lead into the second period. But it easily could have been a different story based on the Express chances. Mitchell Fyffe had two good chances alone in front of the net but was denied by Barr. Phil Zielonka rang a shot off the underside off the crossbar in the final seconds of the period.
Zielonka's knack for finding the good scoring areas to shoot from helped lead to the tying goal for the Express. He cut into the slot and got a good shot away. It was stopped but John Siemer was there in front of the net to bang home his second of the game.
Siemer nearly got his third of the game minutes later as he came down the right wing and fired a shot off the post. The chances kept coming for the Express. Mitchell Fyffe had two more good chances to score in the second. His best of the night came on a centering pass at the lip of the crease but couldn't direct home the feed. Callum Hofford had a good chance reading the play and jumping into the rush on a 3 on 2 break but his one timer was turned aside.
Langley took their third lead of the game on a nice goal by the recently acquired Evan Anderson. He made a nice toe drag move to cut the puck into the middle of the ice then snapped a shot over the glove of Cole Huggins.
A turnover deep in the Express zone quickly resulted into some insurance for the Rivermen in the third period. The puck was coughed up deep in the zone and Mario Puskarich quickly set up former Express Evan Campbell who snapped it through the legs of Huggins to seal the game for the Rivermen. Campbell, Robinson and Puskarich each had 2 point nights for the victorious home team.
Saturday's game was the 6th of 7 games for the Express in which they're without the services of Alexander Kerfoot, Zach Pryzbek and Brandon Morley. So far the Express have posted a 3-3 mark in the 6 games without the trio at the World Junior A Challenge. They have a chance to finish the 7 games without those three above .500 when they travel to Surrey for a game on Monday afternoon.
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