1st star Corey Mackin had his 2nd hat-trick of the season vs. Langley plus 2 assists. Photo Courtesy of Damon James. |
The final two periods really saw the teams test the durability of the proverbial seesaw tonight.
1st star Corey Mackin had his 2nd hat-trick of the season vs. Langley plus 2 assists. Photo Courtesy of Damon James. |
Prince George opened up a 3-0 Click here for box score second period lead and wound up holding on for a 3-2 win over the Express Wednesday night.
Colton Kerfoot scored both goals for the Express in the losing cause.
The first period saw Prince George jump on the Express testing Chris Tai with the first 8 shots of the game. Jake Lebrun broke the ice when he snapped home a pass from Jeremiah Luedtke at the bottom of the right circle. Click here for box score
Prince George expanded their lead on the second period when Justin Rai beat Chris Tai with a wrist shot to the stick side from the left wing. Five minutes later Chad Staley gave the Spruce Kings a 3-0 lead converting a great back pass from behind the net by Luedtke.
Looking for a spark it came from rookie Colton Kerfoot. He struck for a pair of goals in the final six minutes of the second period to cut the lead down to one heading to the third period. Kerfoot's first goal came off the deflection of a Cole Bevan point shot. His second saw him alone at the side of the net where he snapped home a pass from Brett Supinski.
Three Express penalties cut into the time the Express could have used to attempt a comeback in the third period. The Express penalty killers did a good job to kill off the penalties to keep the Express only down a goal.
The final shots saw Prince George outshoot the Express 32-21. Spruce Kings goaltender Jesse Jenks just needed to be steady in the Spruce Kings crease en route to posting the win. Chris Tai also looked solid in his first Express start with 29 saves.
Both teams take on Langley next with Prince George visiting the LEC Thursday and the Rivermen coming to Coquitlam for the first of a home and home Friday.
As we learned over the weekend Colton Kerfoot has committed to Harvard University for the fall of 2016. Below is the official release from the Express.
The Coquitlam Express of the BCHL are proud to announce that Express Forward Colton Kerfoot has committed to the Harvard Crimson Hockey Team for 2016.
Kerfoot who joined the Express in their playoff run last season, after his season with the Vancouver Giants major midget team, has started this year with a solid start posting 4 goals and 3 assists in 15 games.
Kerfoot says he is excited for the opportunity for the academics that Harvard offers and a chance to play NCAA division one hockey.
Head Coach and General Manager Barry Wolff, we are extremely excited and Proud of Colton.
To attend Harvard is a huge achievement for any one, Harvard is getting is a hard working, skilled first class hockey player.
Colton will play with older brother Alexander during his senior season. Alexander is also is an Express alum playing two seasons with the Express from 2011 to 2013. Alexander was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 5th round in 2012.
Christopher Tai battles Fort McMurray during last year's AJHL playoffs. |
The Chilliwack Chiefs picked up their 8th win in their first 10 games by scoring twice in the third period to knock off the Express 5-3 Friday night extending their losing streak to four games.
Jordan Kawaguchi got Chilliwack off on the right foot at 11:43 as he was able to find a loose puck in the crease and poke it in the discarded goal.
If there's been one bright spot on an Express season that hasn't had too many it's been their power play. It struck with just under three minutes remaining in the first period as Jackson Cressey scored his first of the season beating Mitchell Datz from the slot.
The second period started with a bang. First Colton Kerfoot scored on the rebound of a Jackson Cressey shot 59 seconds into the second period for what would turn out to be the lone Express lead of the night at 2-1. Cressey and Kerfoot each finished with a goal and an assist.
But as quickly the Express took the lead, Chilliwack took it right back. 51 seconds after Kerfoot's goal Jake Larson on a breakaway tied the game beating Pierce Dushenko with a wrist shot over the glove. Then as soon as the Express fished the puck out their net they were doing it again 8 seconds later as Craig Puffer scored also beating Dushenko with a wrist shot over the glove.
Again the Express saving grace their power play would even things up as Brett Supinski scored from the slot at 11:47 with his fourth power play goal of the season to even things up at 3. The special teams battle favored the Express Friday as they went 2 for 6 on the power play while killing off all 4 Chilliwack power plays including back to back penalties late in the second period to preserve the 3-3 tie heading to the third period.
Coquitlam had a strong push to open the third period looking to take the lead for a second time but it wasn't meant to be.
Against the flow of play somewhat Craig Puffer scored his second of the night come off the boards and beating Dushenko with a backhand from the slot for a 4-3 Chilliwack lead. Then Jake Larson scored his second of the night with just over 6 minutes remaining scoring on a deflected shot that fluttered into the net to essentially seal the game.
The effort level from the Express can't be faulted in this game. It was a fairly even contest. Chilliwack did finish with a 34-31 edge in shots.
The teams will meet again Saturday night for the second game of the weekend home and home in Chilliwack.