John Wesley's hat-trick paced the Eagles attack in a 4-2 win Friday night in Surrey. Click here for boxscore
He hit the 20 goal plateau in the first of a home and home between the two teams.
The game saw three new members of the Express make their debut. Oliver Lester and Landon Fuller got the call on the blueline. And Brock Hamm started between the pipes.
Unfortunately for Hamm a 100 game WHL veteran he got off to a rough start. Chase Danol scored on a rebound for a 1-0 Eagles lead just 54 seconds into the game.
Then 54 seconds later Cory Babichuk who returned to the Eagles from the USHL slid a cross ice pass to John Wesley who scored his first of the night.
Rough start with two pucks getting past Brock Hamm within the first two minutes, but then he would settle in and have a pretty strong game the rest of the way.
Moments later another new member of the Express Oliver Lester got tangled up with an Eagle in the corner, he got up on his feet and was seen in discomfort. He didn't return for the rest of the game.
Friday's game was filled with penalties handed out to both sides. When the Express met Surrey two weeks ago their power play let them down going 0 for 5 in a 4-2 loss. It was the same story again Friday night.
The Express were given four first period powerplays, including a brief two man advantage for 11 seconds but the Express were unable to cut into the Eagle lead.
It was hard not to notice the third member of the Express making his debut with the team in the first period. Landon Fuller brings size at 6'5 and puck moving ability to the Express blueline. He narrowly missed connecting with Will Lawrence on a long breakaway pass. Then on the defensive side he used his long reach to poke the puck off the stick of John Wesley cutting in from the right wing.
In the opening moments of the second period Alex Ambrosio broke out with Eric Linell shorthanded. The captain put a pass on the tape of Linell who blasted home a one timer for his 8th of the season. It was the second shorthanded goal for the Express this season.
Wesley quickly restored Surrey's two goal lead converting a set up from behind the Express net by Ty Westgard just 1:34 after Linell's goal.
It was at this point Brock Hamm really settled into the game for the Express. One of his best saves off the night came off a rush as Hamm came to his right and got his pad down to rob Jordan Robert on an odd man rush. Hamm finished the game turning aside 36 of the final 37 shots sent his way after the first two Eagles shots went in. He was recognized as the game's second star.
Penalties assessed to the Express in the first half of the third period cut into time the Express could have used to cut into the Eagles lead. The Express penalty killers deserve credit for killing off all 8 Eagle powerplays.
Will Lawrence made his return to the Express after missing the previous three weeks. He buried the rebound of a Alex Ambrosio shot to make it a 3-2 game with just under 5 minutes remaining in the third period. Ambrosio finished with two assists and Eric Linell had one goal and one assist.
A scrum late in the third period resulted in the 6th power play of the night for the Express. It was a pretty ineffective man advantage with lots of puck control, but not many dangerous chances generated. That was a pretty consistent theme on a 0 for 7 night on the power play for the Express.
In the final minute the puck came back to Landon Fuller at the Eagle blueline, but it bounced over his stick forcing him to go back for the puck in the Express zone, moments later the puck was on the stick of Jordan Robert who set up Wesley who hit the empty net for his third of the night.
The Eagles finished the game outshooting the Express 42-32.
The return matchup of the home and home will be played Saturday night in Coquitlam.
He hit the 20 goal plateau in the first of a home and home between the two teams.
The game saw three new members of the Express make their debut. Oliver Lester and Landon Fuller got the call on the blueline. And Brock Hamm started between the pipes.
Unfortunately for Hamm a 100 game WHL veteran he got off to a rough start. Chase Danol scored on a rebound for a 1-0 Eagles lead just 54 seconds into the game.
Then 54 seconds later Cory Babichuk who returned to the Eagles from the USHL slid a cross ice pass to John Wesley who scored his first of the night.
Rough start with two pucks getting past Brock Hamm within the first two minutes, but then he would settle in and have a pretty strong game the rest of the way.
Moments later another new member of the Express Oliver Lester got tangled up with an Eagle in the corner, he got up on his feet and was seen in discomfort. He didn't return for the rest of the game.
Friday's game was filled with penalties handed out to both sides. When the Express met Surrey two weeks ago their power play let them down going 0 for 5 in a 4-2 loss. It was the same story again Friday night.
The Express were given four first period powerplays, including a brief two man advantage for 11 seconds but the Express were unable to cut into the Eagle lead.
It was hard not to notice the third member of the Express making his debut with the team in the first period. Landon Fuller brings size at 6'5 and puck moving ability to the Express blueline. He narrowly missed connecting with Will Lawrence on a long breakaway pass. Then on the defensive side he used his long reach to poke the puck off the stick of John Wesley cutting in from the right wing.
In the opening moments of the second period Alex Ambrosio broke out with Eric Linell shorthanded. The captain put a pass on the tape of Linell who blasted home a one timer for his 8th of the season. It was the second shorthanded goal for the Express this season.
Wesley quickly restored Surrey's two goal lead converting a set up from behind the Express net by Ty Westgard just 1:34 after Linell's goal.
It was at this point Brock Hamm really settled into the game for the Express. One of his best saves off the night came off a rush as Hamm came to his right and got his pad down to rob Jordan Robert on an odd man rush. Hamm finished the game turning aside 36 of the final 37 shots sent his way after the first two Eagles shots went in. He was recognized as the game's second star.
Penalties assessed to the Express in the first half of the third period cut into time the Express could have used to cut into the Eagles lead. The Express penalty killers deserve credit for killing off all 8 Eagle powerplays.
Will Lawrence made his return to the Express after missing the previous three weeks. He buried the rebound of a Alex Ambrosio shot to make it a 3-2 game with just under 5 minutes remaining in the third period. Ambrosio finished with two assists and Eric Linell had one goal and one assist.
A scrum late in the third period resulted in the 6th power play of the night for the Express. It was a pretty ineffective man advantage with lots of puck control, but not many dangerous chances generated. That was a pretty consistent theme on a 0 for 7 night on the power play for the Express.
In the final minute the puck came back to Landon Fuller at the Eagle blueline, but it bounced over his stick forcing him to go back for the puck in the Express zone, moments later the puck was on the stick of Jordan Robert who set up Wesley who hit the empty net for his third of the night.
The Eagles finished the game outshooting the Express 42-32.
The return matchup of the home and home will be played Saturday night in Coquitlam.
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