The Express peppered Langley goaltender Braedon Fleming with 37 shots, but despite numerous grade A chances they were only able to beat him once in a 3-1 loss in Langley. Click here for boxscore
Before the Express began their barrage, Brendan Budy opened the scoring racing down the left wing and picking the top corner on Clay Stevenson just 1:11 into the game.
Down a goal the Express started to generate their chances. Haydn Delorme and Jack MacNab had rebound chances on an Express power play but couldn't beat Fleming. For MacNab this was the start of an unfortunate day as he had most of the best chances for the Express Sunday.
Moments later a shot from the left wing was stopped by Fleming and rebound came right to MacNab who was stoned by Fleming who fired out his glove hand. The Langley goaltender was leaving plenty of rebounds in front of the net, but the Express weren't able to find those loose pucks and jam them home. The first period shots finished 16-9 in favor of the Express.
As is usually the case between the Express and Rivermen, the game had a bit of a testy element to it. Haydn Delorme had his battles with Brady Berger among others and the Express forward saw his helmet spend more time on the ice than on his head as he was engaged in the physical aspect of the game.
The chances for the Express carried into the second period. Again Jack MacNab was robbed on a rebound chance by Braedon Fleming.
Then the game turned in a span of 52 seconds. Following some Langley puck control in the Express zone, the puck found Spencer Berry at the blueline whose seeing eye shot zipped over Stevenson's shoulder for a 2-0 Langley lead.
That goal rattled the Express a little and moments later it was Brady Berger powering the puck to the Express net and burying his own rebound for a 3-0 Rivermen advantage.
Those goals took some of the wind out of the sails of the Express. They weren't able to generate as many top notch chances as frequently before the two goals in 52 seconds.
One of the final chances for the Express in the second period saw Eric Linell ring a shot off the goal post.
In the third period Colby Pederson put a shot off the cross bar that had Fleming sprawling in an effort to make the save.
Eric Linell thought he had scored on a bang bang play at the side of the Rivermen net. And to cap things off Jack MacNab was robbed for a 4th time on a rebound in front of the net.
Colby Pederson did break the shutout of Fleming to cap off the scoring with 3:15 to play with the goaltender on the bench for the extra attacker.
The Express effort level was strong most of the night and they were the better team, but the Rivermen got the better goaltending. The shots finished 37-30 for the Express.
The regular season schedule for the Express concludes Friday night when they will host Langley in the second half of the home and home.
Langley's win combined with both Surrey and Chilliwack losing Sunday put the Rivermen two points up on both those clubs as they all battle for home ice advantage in a first round series.
As the Express keep an eye on the interior race and their first round opponent, it's still at this point the Penticton Vees who were victorious Sunday to remain two points up on the Vernon Vipers heading into the final week of the regular season.
Before the Express began their barrage, Brendan Budy opened the scoring racing down the left wing and picking the top corner on Clay Stevenson just 1:11 into the game.
Down a goal the Express started to generate their chances. Haydn Delorme and Jack MacNab had rebound chances on an Express power play but couldn't beat Fleming. For MacNab this was the start of an unfortunate day as he had most of the best chances for the Express Sunday.
Moments later a shot from the left wing was stopped by Fleming and rebound came right to MacNab who was stoned by Fleming who fired out his glove hand. The Langley goaltender was leaving plenty of rebounds in front of the net, but the Express weren't able to find those loose pucks and jam them home. The first period shots finished 16-9 in favor of the Express.
As is usually the case between the Express and Rivermen, the game had a bit of a testy element to it. Haydn Delorme had his battles with Brady Berger among others and the Express forward saw his helmet spend more time on the ice than on his head as he was engaged in the physical aspect of the game.
The chances for the Express carried into the second period. Again Jack MacNab was robbed on a rebound chance by Braedon Fleming.
Then the game turned in a span of 52 seconds. Following some Langley puck control in the Express zone, the puck found Spencer Berry at the blueline whose seeing eye shot zipped over Stevenson's shoulder for a 2-0 Langley lead.
That goal rattled the Express a little and moments later it was Brady Berger powering the puck to the Express net and burying his own rebound for a 3-0 Rivermen advantage.
Those goals took some of the wind out of the sails of the Express. They weren't able to generate as many top notch chances as frequently before the two goals in 52 seconds.
One of the final chances for the Express in the second period saw Eric Linell ring a shot off the goal post.
In the third period Colby Pederson put a shot off the cross bar that had Fleming sprawling in an effort to make the save.
Eric Linell thought he had scored on a bang bang play at the side of the Rivermen net. And to cap things off Jack MacNab was robbed for a 4th time on a rebound in front of the net.
Colby Pederson did break the shutout of Fleming to cap off the scoring with 3:15 to play with the goaltender on the bench for the extra attacker.
The Express effort level was strong most of the night and they were the better team, but the Rivermen got the better goaltending. The shots finished 37-30 for the Express.
The regular season schedule for the Express concludes Friday night when they will host Langley in the second half of the home and home.
Langley's win combined with both Surrey and Chilliwack losing Sunday put the Rivermen two points up on both those clubs as they all battle for home ice advantage in a first round series.
As the Express keep an eye on the interior race and their first round opponent, it's still at this point the Penticton Vees who were victorious Sunday to remain two points up on the Vernon Vipers heading into the final week of the regular season.
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