TRAIL USES SECOND HALF SURGE TO DOUBLE EXPRESS

The Trail Smoke Eaters scored five unanswered goals in the final 23 minutes to double the Express 6-3 Saturday night. Click here for boxscore

The loss was the fourth straight by the Express. And for Trail it salvaged the final game of a three game Mainland division road trip after dropping the first two games in Surrey and Chilliwack.

Blake Hayward opened the scoring for the Express converting a saucer pass from Will Lawrence at 6:27. For Hayward it was his first goal since November 9th in Penticton.

Kale Howarth's one timer from the point on the power play teed up by Carter Cochrane tied the game at one just over 7 minutes later.

That was followed by a power play goal from the Express from an unlikely source, Hayward from the boards slid the puck back to Troy Robillard who snapped a wrist shot up over the shoulder of Zach Dyment for his first BCHL goal in his 54th career BCHL game giving the Express a 2-1 lead after one.

Midway through the second period the Express went up a pair on a Sam Kozlowski tip of a David Guinta point shot on the powerplay. The Express finished 2 for 6 on the power play.

That goal chased Trail goaltender Zach Dyment after three goals on 16 shots. Linden Marshall replaced Dyment and was perfect the rest of the way stopping all 9 Express shots sent his way in the second half of the game.

It was at this point Trail began to ramp up their pressure on the Express. Lawson Fenton did the best he could to fend off the pressure, but eventually Trail broke through.

Ryan Moon cut the Express lead to 3-2 re-directing Braedon Tuck's shot up over the glove of Fenton.

That goal sparked a frantic sequence on the Express zone. Josh Lafromboise rang a shot off the post. Then seconds later he didn't miss his spot beating Fenton with a wrist shot through a screen to tie the game at 3.


The late second period surge by Trail carried over to the third period.

Ethan Martini's shot from the left point beat a screened Lawson Fenton at 2:41 giving Trail the lead for good.

Five minutes later Troy Ring found a lane to the net open up and he cut to the net and slid the puck through the legs of Fenton for a 5-3 Trail lead. Korbyn Chabot then rounded out the scoring in the dying minutes walking out of the corner and dribbling a shot through the pads of Fenton.

Trail outshot the Express 42-25 and 29-16 in the final 40 minutes.

The Express return to action Wednesday when they host the Surrey Eagles who they have defeated three times in six meetings this season.