Express defenceman Brandon Kennedy potted the overtime winner just 35 seconds into overtime giving the Express a 4-3 win over the Surrey Eagles.Click here for boxscore
The win gave the Express their second straight win over the Eagles.
The finish for the Express was much better than their start. Ty Westgard snapped a wrist shot past Lawson Fenton opening the scoring on Surrey's first shot just 34 seconds into the game.
Darius Davidson doubled Surrey's lead less than 6 minutes later for a 2-0 Eagles lead.
Surrey started 2000 born AP goaltender Lukas Shaw called up from the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the BC Major Midget league. He had his ups and downs in the game. He came close to ending up on a blooper reel, with the Eagles on the power play the Express sent the puck down the ice, Shaw came out of his net to sweep the puck away from an oncoming Blake Hayward and in the process Shaw nearly put the puck in his own net.
After the Express fell into the 2-0 hole Lawson Fenton really settled into the game allowing the Express to mount a come back. He made 18 saves in the second period keeping the Eagles lead at just two. His best saves of the period came off Ashton Calder with a right pad save on a shot from the slot. Then moments later another save off Desi Burgart with the glove on a close play in front of the net. Fenton finished with 39 saves.
Moments later David Guinta raced after a loose puck and split the Eagles defense and was hauled down and the Express defenseman was awarded a penalty shot. With the ice in poor conditions late in the period Giunta took no chances with a deke, he instead snapped a low and hard wrist shot off the post and in getting the Express on the board trailing 2-1 after 2 periods.
One of the best aspects of the Express game since their return from the Christmas break has been their penalty killing. It was sharp again Thursday killing off all 4 Surrey powerplays. Including a early power play for the Eagles in the third period. The Express have been perfect on the penalty kill in 4 of their last 5 games and have killed off 21 of 24 shorthanded situations in that time.
Eight minutes into the third period the Express pulled even. Alex Ambrosio set up Mitch Newsome who scored from the slot to tie the game at 2.
The tie only lasted 1:21. Jeffrey's Stewart's shot from the right wing went wide of the net and bounced off the boards to the other side of the net where Nick Fea quickly slid the puck across the crease back to Stewart who snapped it home for a 3-2 Eagles lead.
Another third period deficit didn't faze the Express. With just over 5 minutes to go Will Lawrence found a loose puck and roofed it over a sprawled out Shaw to tie the game at 3.
The Express had their chance to win it late in regulation with Paul McAvoy getting called for tripping. But they couldn't convert on the power play. Both teams finished 0 for 4 on the power play.
Overtime didn't last long, Mitch Newsome carried the puck into the Eagles zone and left the puck for Cal Babych who quickly zipped a pass over to Brandon Kennedy who tapped it home to give the Express the 4-3 overtime win. The goal by the Express defenseman wearing number 4 rekindled memories of Bobby Orr's most famous goal as Kennedy flew through the air while celebrating his overtime goal.
The win gave the Express their second straight win over the Eagles.
The finish for the Express was much better than their start. Ty Westgard snapped a wrist shot past Lawson Fenton opening the scoring on Surrey's first shot just 34 seconds into the game.
Darius Davidson doubled Surrey's lead less than 6 minutes later for a 2-0 Eagles lead.
Surrey started 2000 born AP goaltender Lukas Shaw called up from the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the BC Major Midget league. He had his ups and downs in the game. He came close to ending up on a blooper reel, with the Eagles on the power play the Express sent the puck down the ice, Shaw came out of his net to sweep the puck away from an oncoming Blake Hayward and in the process Shaw nearly put the puck in his own net.
After the Express fell into the 2-0 hole Lawson Fenton really settled into the game allowing the Express to mount a come back. He made 18 saves in the second period keeping the Eagles lead at just two. His best saves of the period came off Ashton Calder with a right pad save on a shot from the slot. Then moments later another save off Desi Burgart with the glove on a close play in front of the net. Fenton finished with 39 saves.
Moments later David Guinta raced after a loose puck and split the Eagles defense and was hauled down and the Express defenseman was awarded a penalty shot. With the ice in poor conditions late in the period Giunta took no chances with a deke, he instead snapped a low and hard wrist shot off the post and in getting the Express on the board trailing 2-1 after 2 periods.
One of the best aspects of the Express game since their return from the Christmas break has been their penalty killing. It was sharp again Thursday killing off all 4 Surrey powerplays. Including a early power play for the Eagles in the third period. The Express have been perfect on the penalty kill in 4 of their last 5 games and have killed off 21 of 24 shorthanded situations in that time.
Eight minutes into the third period the Express pulled even. Alex Ambrosio set up Mitch Newsome who scored from the slot to tie the game at 2.
The tie only lasted 1:21. Jeffrey's Stewart's shot from the right wing went wide of the net and bounced off the boards to the other side of the net where Nick Fea quickly slid the puck across the crease back to Stewart who snapped it home for a 3-2 Eagles lead.
Another third period deficit didn't faze the Express. With just over 5 minutes to go Will Lawrence found a loose puck and roofed it over a sprawled out Shaw to tie the game at 3.
The Express had their chance to win it late in regulation with Paul McAvoy getting called for tripping. But they couldn't convert on the power play. Both teams finished 0 for 4 on the power play.
Overtime didn't last long, Mitch Newsome carried the puck into the Eagles zone and left the puck for Cal Babych who quickly zipped a pass over to Brandon Kennedy who tapped it home to give the Express the 4-3 overtime win. The goal by the Express defenseman wearing number 4 rekindled memories of Bobby Orr's most famous goal as Kennedy flew through the air while celebrating his overtime goal.
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