EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Saturday, October 5, 2013

EXPRESS WACK THE CHIEFS

The Coquitlam Express matched a season high with 9 goals in a 9-4 win over the Chilliwack Chiefs to sweep a home and home between the Mainland division rivals.

The Express got Chilliwack down early and didn't let them up until the clock struck 0:00 at the end of the third period.

Captain Ryan Rosenthal got the visitors offence rolling in the opening minute as he scored from the slot on the first shot of the game 45 seconds into the contest.

Canon Pieper had a memorable night in the valley with his first BCHL hat-trick. He got his evening kicked off by snapping a shot from the left wing past Chiefs started Josh Halpenny. The goal chased the Chiefs netminder after he allowed 2 goals on 6 shots in the first 12:20 of the game.

Lyndon Stanwood who got the start the night before didn't fare much better. Canon Pieper scored his second of the game shorthanded as he split the Chiefs defence and poked the puck through the legs of Stanwood.

It was the 5th shorthanded goal of the season by the Express which is the most of any team in the BCHL. At the time of the goal, the Express had scored 1 more goal while shorthanded than powerplay goals they had allowed all season.

Jordan Kawaguchi got the Chiefs on the board as he put home a rebound from a Carter Cochrane point shot.

But just 12 seconds later the Express were back up by 3 as Corey Mackin scored his Express leading 8th goal of the season at 18:31.

Pierce Dushenko got his 3rd start of the season in the Express crease. And with his teammates putting 4 on the board in the first period giving him some run support to work with, it's easy to overlook the 20 saves on the 21 Chief shots sent his way in the first period. Some of his best saves came off Mathieu Tibbet and Austin Plevy.

It was more of the same for the Express in the second period.

Marc Biega picked up his first point of the season as his wrister from the point on the powerplay gave the Express a 5-1 lead.

Austin Plevy finally scored his first goal of the season while shorthanded for the Chiefs as he took the puck hard to the net and jammed it under Dushenko.

But like they did in the first period, the Express had a quick response as Bo Pieper who had his first two assists of the season fired a great pass to hit Rosenthal in stride and he cut to the net and tucked the puck past Stanwood for a 6-2 Express lead.

Canon Pieper finished off his hat-trick late in the second period as he came out from behind the Chiefs net and made a spin move and fired off a backhand past Stanwood.

Halpenny came back out to start the third period in the Chiefs crease. And the story didn't change for the hosts. Matthew Barry-Lamontagna scored his second goal of the season as his innocent looking wrister from centre ice wasn't so innocent and it bounced off the blocker of Halpenny and in for an 8-2 Express lead.

Jackson Cressy scored the final goal of the night for the Express as he finished off a great passing play set up by Anthony Gardner's great back door pass.

10 players hit the scoresheet tonight for the Express, 6 had multi point efforts.  The 9 goals matches a season high for most goals in a game set earlier this season in a 9-4 win over Alberni Valley at the Prospera Centre in Chilliwack at the Bauer BCHL showcase.

To close out the night Kyle Westerlingh had Dushenko beat on a penalty shot but put his backhand off the post. Then the Chiefs scored two meaningless goals to cap off the score off the sticks of Andrew Silard and Kurt Black.

The win puts the Express one point back of both Langley and Prince George for first place in the Mainland division. And the two wins also puts the Express 9 points clear of Chilliwack.

The Express finish off the weekend Sunday afternoon in Surrey.

No comments: