EXPRESS PULL AWAY FROM EAGLES IN THE THIRD

Luca Leone scored a second period goal - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Express battled back from a pair of second period deficits, then pulled away in the third period to knock off the Surrey Eagles 4-3 Friday night in Coquitlam. Click here for boxscore

Austin McIlmurray, Jarell Pinchuk and Colton Kerfoot all had 1 goal and 1 assist to pace the offensive attack. Lawson Fenton had another solid game between the pipes making 35 saves.

Lawson Fenton made 35 saves - Photo courtesy of Damon James

It was a scoreless first period between the two teams. Surrey's best chance in the first period came on the power play when John Wesley tried to find a pinching Darius Davidson, the Eagles forward thought he had a tap in, but Charlie Barrow and Fenton teamed up to help make sure Davidson wasn't able to snap the puck in the open net.

Defenceman Taylor Green was denied by Daniel Davidson as he came to his right after Green was set up by Colton Kerfoot on a two on one.

The Eagles outshot the Express 15-6 in the first period. Thanks in part to having nearly 6 minutes of power play time in the opening period.

Darren Hards broke the offensive deadlock early in the second period as Eagles forward Donovan Ott muscled the puck in front of Express net and it slid through the crease and Hards roofed it over Fenton.

Dante Hahn - Photo courtesy of Damon James

That goal started a sequence that saw the teams trade four goals in a span of 6:25.

Jarrel Pinchuk scored his first Express and BCHL goal when he buried the rebound of a Jack Surowiec shot from the left wing that was punted into the slot.

The lead only lasted 45 seconds as Nathan Deyell from the left point found himself with time and space and he unloaded a snapshot that beat a screened Fenton for Deyell's 1st BCHL goal.

The Express response came just over three minutes later on the power play. Luca Leone took the rebound of a Owen Stout shot off the end boards and fired a backhand past Davidson as he came across the crease. The goal for Leone was his first in an Express uniform since November 9th, 2012 vs. Chilliwack.

Period three saw the Express top line take over the game. Austin McIlmurray fired a great pass rink wide to Colton Kerfoot who snapped a shot past the glove of Davidson on the short side.

Eric Udahl 1st period chance - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Five minutes later Jackson Cressey set up McIlmurray on a two on one and he finished with a shot top shelf for a 4-2 Express lead.

At that point the Express went into shut down mode and had the game in control. They were making smart decisions with the puck as the clock wound down.

Then the Eagles got a lucky break with just under three minutes to go.

Kyle Star as he was going off on a change flipped the puck in from centre ice, Noah Turanski playing on defense contacted the dump in with a high stick, Lawson Fenton was leaving his crease to play the puck and the puck slid into a half empty cage with Fenton unable to get back in time.

Jake Brien battles John Wesley - Photo courtesy of Damon James

That goal was a tough break for the Express. But not so tough to turn the game in the Eagles favour. The Express held on the rest of the way.

After the three Eagles power plays in the first period, each team had one chance on the power play in the final 40 minutes. The Express were 1 for 1 on the power play and shut down all four Eagles power plays.

Up next the Express play host to the Langley Rivermen on Wednesday.