EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Sunday, December 15, 2013

EAGLES TOP EXPRESS IN OT

This years edition of the Coquitlam Express is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get to steal a line from the movie Forrest Gump.

Some nights the Express might light the lamp and win going away. Some mights they might have the opposition light the lamp and win going away. Some nights they will play a tight strong defensive hockey game and come away victorious. And some nights both teams will light the lamp and it's a flip of a coin to determine who will come away with the two points.

Sunday it was the latter that came to fruition in a 5-4 overtime win by the Surrey Eagles.

There were momentums swings, lead changes, pretty goals and a weird one on this night.

Surrey got the offense rolling as Joseph Drapluk scored with 1 second remaining in a two minute 5 on 3 for Surrey in controversial fashion.

The two man advantage came about starting with some interference by Zach Hodder in the neutral zone. Then some pushing and shoving after the whistle and some how Surrey came out of it with a 2 man advantage.

On the goal Ben Israel was knocked to the ice away from the play allowing Joseph Drapluk to walk out of from the side of the net and score on Gordie Defiel.

The Express pulled even with a power play goal of their own. Corey Mackin worked the puck down low to Adam Rockwood who zipped a pass cross crease to a pinching Cam Marks who had the pass bounce off his skate and in for his second goal of the season.

Things really started to open up in the second period.

On another Surrey power play captain Brett Mulcahy slid the puck towards the Express net and Gordie Defiel never could get control of the puck as he went to play it and it found it's way to bounce in.

Just 1:17 later Defiel was beat again, this time on a much more difficult shot as Danton Heinen wired it past Defiel from the left wing for a 3-1 Surrey lead.

To the Express credit they went right to work trying to chip away at the deficit.

Cody Boyd pulled the visitors within one as his shot hit something on it's way to the net and got past Devon Fordyce.

Then the BCHL's most dangerous shorthanded team struck again. Ryan Rosenthal poked the puck up to Corey Mackin who walked in on a breakaway and beat Fordyce over the glove to tie the game at 3.

It was the 12th shorthanded goal scored by the Express and also the 12th allowed by the Surrey Eagles this season. Both numbers are the highest in the BCHL. It was also the 5th shorthanded goal the Express have scored vs. Surrey this season.

Mackin added his second of the period with 2:16 remaining as he took a pass from Rosenthal and slid it home for the only lead the Express would hold on this night at 4-3.

That lead lasted just :37 seconds as right off a face-off in the Express zone Nic Pierog swatted a puck past Defiel to tie the game at 4.

Nothing was decided in the third period. Each team had their chances in the period to break the deadlock. The best came in the final 35 seconds of the third period as Adam Rockwood came out of the corner powered the puck to the net and was stopped by the right leg of Fordyce who also turned Ryan Rosenthal aside with an even better save on the rebound.

In the first overtime the best chance to end it was a breakaway for Luke Sandler but the Eagles forward lost control of the puck on his attempt to deke to the backhand.

The Eagles prevailed in the second overtime as Jonah Renouf broke in on a 2 on 1, he showed great patience and in the process an Express defender ran into Defiel allowing Renouf to deke past the traffic and slide the puck into an open net for the game winner.

Surrey outshot the Express 40-33. With the win, they pull within 4 points of the Express for 3rd place in the Mainland division standings.

The Express will play their final game before Christmas Friday vs. the Powell River Kings. 

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