EXPRESS CAN'T DIG OUT OF EARLY HOLE VS. EAGLES

Lawson Fenton made 27 saves - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Surrey's struck three times in the first period and the Express were unable to recover falling 4-3 Wednesday night. 

The Express are now 0-10-1 in their last 11 games. But to be fair the Express still played without 9 regulars and dressing 4 AP's. 

Poor puck management on the first Express power play would eventually lead to the Eagles opening the scoring. A neutral zone turnover resulted in a a Desi Burgart chance which was stopped by Lawson Fenton. But that was followed only seconds later by another neutral zone turnover and this time Jackson Ross made the Express pay by scoring his second of the season on his own rebound. 

David Giunta - Photo courtesy of Damon James

That goal sparked a Surrey run off offense. The Jackson Ross goal was followed just 1:38 later on a goal by Cole Williams who beat Lawson Fenton with a wrist shot from the point right through the legs of Fenton who reacted late to the screen shot. 

Then with Surrey on the power play the Eagles worked the puck around the outside and Darius Davidson scored on a one timer from the left circle for a 3-0 Eagles lead. Surrey scored a shorthanded, even strength and power play goal in a span of 3:15. 

Surrey goaltender Daniel Davidson turned aside all 9 Express shots in the first period. But he was shaken up at the end of the period and wouldn't come out to play for the second. 

Michael Botiz got the call for Surrey the rest of the way. He was welcomed to the game with a 5 on 3 advantage for the Express with Dario Piva and Jordan Robert in the box for the Eagles.

Erik Udhal in the opening moments of the second period got the Express on the board firing a shot past the glove of Botiz just 1:02 in the frame. 

The Express caught a break to help them pull within one. Blake Hayward's dump in from centre ice couldn't be handled cleanly by Botiz and the puck slid through his pads where Cal Babych pounced on the loose puck to cut the Eagles lead to 3-2. 

That goal led to some chances for the Express immediately afterwards. But then Surrey quickly went the other way and Mike Sauer finished off a two on one to restore Surrey's two goal lead. 

Erik Udhal was consistently the most dangerous forward for the Express. He scored his second of the night four minutes into the third period using Will Lawrence as a decoy on a two on one and keeping the puck and beating Botiz to cut the Eagles lead to 4-3.

As the third period wound down Udhal had some of the better Express scoring chances looking for the equalizer. He was stopped off the rush cutting in from the right wing. He also rang a shot off the post and that's as close the Express would come to tying the game. 

In the final 90 seconds the Eagles put the clamp on the Express giving them trouble to break out of their own zone preventing them from pulling goaltender Lawson Fenton for the extra attacker. Once the Express were able to get Fenton to the bench the Eagles forced the Express to the boards in the Surrey zone as the clock ticked down. 

The Express hit the road visiting Prince George Friday. Then they're right back in Coquitlam Saturday night vs. Vernon.