EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Sunday, September 15, 2013

EXPRESS DROP EAGLES

The Coquitlam Express posted their second consecutive victory with a 5-2 win over the defending BCHL champion Surrey Eagles Sunday afternoon at the South Surrey Arena.

The Eagles got the upper hand on the Express in the opening 20 minutes as midway through the period Nicolas Pierog tipped a blast from Colton Mackie from the high slot and it fluttered over the shoulder of Gordy Defiel to open the scoring at 9:30.

A 5 on 3 for 94 seconds was a great chance for the Express to tie the game at one, but they couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.

Moments later came a key turning point in the game. With the Eagles on the powerplay Jonah Renouf showed his great vision made made a great back door cross ice pass to a pinching Michael Roberts, he quickly snapped off a one timer, but Gordy Defiel came up with his best of his 23 saves and turned aside the one timer to keep the Express only down a goal.

That's where things stood entering the second period.

On another Eagles powerplay it was the Express who found the back of the net as Joey Santucci scored his 4th goal in his last 2 games as he powered the puck through the legs of Victor Adamo for a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 1.

Just 1:10 later the Express took their first lead of the game. Adam Rockwood showing his great vision for the game carried the puck into the Eagles zone, he read his options going to the net, he didn't have anything available and was able to find a trailing Matthew Berry-Lamontagna who wired a shot in just under the cross bar for his first Express goal to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Bo Pieper extended the Express lead to 3-1 as he came out from behind the Eagles net, turned and snapped home a quick shot past Adamo for his second goal in as many games.

The Express had a strong second period firing a total of 18 shots.

There was some controversy early in the third period. Zane Schartz fired the puck at the Express net and it was tipped home by Eagles captain Brett Mulcahy. The puck had clearly left the zone by the time the puck was shot and the play should have been blown dead on the offside, but the officials let the goal stand. The Eagles had a goal waved off back in the first period when the puck was knocked into the net by a high stick.

The controversial goal didn't rattle the Express. They just kept on playing strong. Working the puck in the Eagles zone and not allowing them to come on with a push looking for the equalizer. They were finally rewarded for their hard work with some insurance as Corey Mackin made a great play at the Eagle blue line to keep the puck in the zone, then dangle past a Eagles defender to get himself a breakaway where he made no mistake beating Adamo to the stick side with just 2 minutes to play giving the Express a 4-2 lead.

Adam Rockwood rounded out the scoring with his first goal of the season into an empty net.

The Express outshot Surrey 40-25 and 31-17 in the final 40 minutes of play.

Their next game is Friday in Langley. Then a return game with the Rivermen 24 hours later for the home opener.

The Express debuted their new black road jerseys in the game. They look very sharp with the word Express positioned diagonally across the front with silver numbers with a subtle red trim. 

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