OCTOBER MUCH DIFFERENT STORY FOR EXPRESS

At the end of September with the Express coming out of the seasons opening month with a record of 5-0-0-1, I stated we would know the true colors of the Express after a much tougher month of October.

Well, after a 14 game schedule in October, the numbers on the other side of the month are not pretty. The Express went 2-11-0-1 in October. The only 2 wins coming on home ice. The Express lost all 9 games on the road in October picking up just a single point away from home in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Trail Smoke Eaters on October 3rd.

The Express finished October with a visit to Penticton Friday night where the Express were blanked for the 3rd time this season 8-0 by the high octane Vees.

Penticton scored 24 seconds into the game on a goal by Bo Dolan and the Vees were on their way.

Denver Manderson, who spent most of the season sitting atop of the BCHL scoring race was playing in his first career game vs. Burnaby. He put on a show with 3 points 1 goal and 2 assists. Manderson was skating on a line with Garrett Milan and Alex Szczechura. That trio combined 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points.

Taylor Peters, playing in his first game of the season with Penticton scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway and added 2 assists.

Joel Rumpel started in place of Sean Bonar between the Vees pipes posted the shutout stopping all 33 Express shots. He really stepped up in the 2nd period when the Express sent 18 shots his way.

At the other end of the ice, Harrison May was in goal for the full 60 minutes allowing 8 goals on the 46 shots he faced.

Bo Dolan who opened the scoring, also finished it by scoring the 8th goal of the game.

Penticton played without goaltender Sean Bonar and Joey Laleggia who were missing their first game while representing Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge. The Vees were also without Beau Bennett who is the only non USHL player on the American roster at the WJAC.

Saturday the Express returned home to face the resurrected Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

The Dogs got off to a quick start on a goal by Mitch MacMillan set up on a 2 on 0 break by his younger brother Mark at 2:33. The goal for MacMillan was his BCHL leading 17th of the season.

Alberni Valley then added their second goal of the game on a powerplay by David Dziurzynski before the Express had even registered a shot on goal by the 7:12 mark of the first period.

Warren Muir extended Alberni Valley's lead to three on a powerplay goal in the 2nd period.

The Express cut into the Dogs lead on a shorthanded breakaway goal by Dylan Herold. Then a goal on a 5 on 3 by Matt Ridley. But that would be as close as the Express would come.

Trent Dorais put the game away by hitting the empty net in the third period.

Overall, the Express were a better team at home than on the road in October.

Burnaby was outscored a total of 49-16 in October on the road. While at home, they were 2-3 with wins over the Victoria Grizzlies and Trail Smoke Eaters. The Express outscored their opponents 16-14 on home ice in those 5 home games.