EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

EAGLES TAKE FIRST OF HOME AND HOME

Wednesday night we learned that a lot can happen in a span of 12 seconds. That's how quickly Surrey scored two goals in the opening minute of the third period en route to a 7-5 win in the first of a home and home series.

Those goals would open up a 4 goal Surrey lead that the Express just couldn't over come.

Coming off their two most impressive wins of the season last weekend vs. Penticton, the Express were looking to build off them in this key pair of games with their division rival.

The Eagles got the jump on the Express just over 5 minutes into the game as Nathan Renouf scored on a set up from his twin brother Jonah off a won face-off in the Express zone.

5 minutes later the Express pulled even as Corey Mackin showed some great hands coming out of the corner then cutting in front of the net and slid the puck past Devon Fordyce.

Late in the period the Eagles re-stored their lead just after an Express power play had expired.

Brian Drapluk came out of the penalty box and bumped Adam Rockwood off the puck inside the Eagles blue line which set up a 2 on 1 the other way and Danton Heinen set up Brian's twin brother Joseph who snapped the puck past Gordie Defiel.

Just 1:38 later the Eagles struck again. This time it was the Renouf brothers at it again along with line mate Braeden Russell who teamed up deep in the Express zone and set up Jonah who scored give the Eagles a 3-1 lead after 1 period.

Adam Rockwood cut the Eagles lead back down to one when he took a pass at a tough angle in front of the Eagles net and managed to find a way to flip the puck over Fordyce.

Again the Eagles had a response, late in the second period Danton Heinen and Cameron Marks raced after the puck in the Express zone. Heinen was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. On the free pass, Heinen shaded to his right and snapped a shot low to the stick side past Defiel with just 1:41 remaining in the second period.

The opening 32 seconds of the third period was a moment in time the Express would like to forget.

First they coughed up the puck inside the blue line and it quickly resulted in Joseph Drapluk's second of the game. Then 12 seconds later Nathan Renouf scored his second of the game to quickly open up a 6-2 Surrey lead.

At this point a come back was looking like a daunting task for the Express.

Daniel Lange cut the lead back down to 3 at 8:53.

Then on the power play Ryan Rosenthal powered the puck to the net and scored his 16th of the season pulling back into a tie for the team lead in goals with Corey Mackin.

Then Zach Hodder scored the third Express goal in just over 5 minutes off the rush and suddenly it was back to a one goal game with just over 6 to go.

That would be as close as the Express would come as Heinen capped off his 4 point night by scoring his second of the game into an empty net with 30 seconds to go to secure the Eagles win.

The win pulled Surrey within one point of the Express for third place in the Mainland division standings. But the Express still have three games in hand on Surrey. The second of the home and home will go Friday night in Coquitlam.


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