MACKIN'S HAT-TRICK NOT ENOUGH AS EXPRESS FALL TO RIVERMEN

Corey Mackin's first BCHL hat-trick wasn't enough for the Express as they fell 5-4 to the Langley Rivermen Friday night. Click here for box score

The Express remain with just one win of the season with a record of 1-4-0-1 through the first six games of the season.

As the team tries to improve as the season goes along the lessons learned along the way are pretty tough.

Things started well for Mackin and the Express with Mackin scoring his first of the night after he picked off a pass in the neutral zone and scored on his own rebound beating Bo Didur.

Three minutes later however Langley pulled even on William Campion's point shot that changed directions and find it's way past Pierce Dushenko.

It was another strong night for the Express powerplay striking twice on eight advantages. The first goal coming off the stick of Corey Mackin who snapped home Joey Santucci's cross ice feed for his second of the night.

But for as good as the powerplay has been for the Express, the penalty killing has been as equally if not even more not good enough.

For the second straight game the opposition got an extended 5 on 3 advantage, and for the second straight game the Express would find themselves fishing the puck out of their net as the game turns in favour of the opposition.

Gage Torrell and Matthew Graham scored 36 seconds apart to give Langley a 3-2 lead going to the second period.

The Express have now given up a BCHL high 12 powerplay goals on 32 shorthanded situations and their penalty killing sits dead last at 62.5%. They've given up at least one powerplay goal in each of their five losses and multiple powerplay goals in four of the six lossses to start the season.

Corey Mackin completed his first BCHL hat-trick 13 minutes into the second period snapping home a wrist shot from the slot that was tipped past Didur.

Newcomer Jivan Sidhu acquired earlier in the day from the Nipawin Hawks of the SJHL made his Express debut for the Express Friday. He was on the wrong end of a turnover of the puck coming out of his own zone that allowed Kevan Killistoff to score at 3:46 to give Langley a 4-3 lead.

41 seconds later Langley struck again as Gage Torrel scored his second of the night re-directing Jacob Zeleznikar's point shot past Pierce Dushenko. Langley finished the night with 42 shots. It was the third time this season an Express netminder had faced 40 plus shots.

Cameron Bertsch gave the Express hope when he converted as pass from Nic Rasovic for his first BCHL regular season goal with 7:18 to play.

That led to some momentum and some of the best scoring chances for the Express on the night. More specifically Brett Supinski. His first best chance when he put his own rebound off the post with Didur beat. Then his second came on a late Express powerplay with Supinski set up in front but Didur fired up his glove for his best of 28 saves on the night.

The Express will get their next crack at their second win of the season Sunday afternoon vs. Nanaimo.