EXPRESS MIXLR BROADCAST

Friday, October 21, 2016

EXPRESS EDGE WENATCHEE

Shots, who needs shots? the Express only had 10 shots Friday night vs. Wenatchee, but it was enough to score five times to hand the Wild a 5-4 loss.

It was the second straight win for the Express following 3-2 win Wednesday over West Kelowna.

Like Wednesday the Express jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Alex Ambrosio opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game battling hard in front of the Wild net and rolling in a loose puck for his 4th of the season.

Just 24 seconds later the Express struck again. Cal Babych took advantage of a Wild turnover and sent the puck down low to Owen Stout who quickly fed Sam Kozlowski for a 2-0 lead.

Lawson Fenton played a big role to help get that lead to the room after the first period turning aside at 17 Wild shots.

Cal Babych was brought in by the Express to help give the team a much needed score boost. Early on the returns have paid dividends. He scored his second goal in his second game with the Express just over a minute into the second period snapping a shot up over the glove of Anthony Yamnitsky.

That goal was the wake up call the Wild needed to try to claw back into the game. Slava Demin got the Wild on the board with a point shot on the power play that rang in off the post. 33 seconds later the Express lead was cut to one on a Brendan Harris goal after he used his speed to back off the Express defense then snap a shot over the glove of Lawson Fenton.

The Express had a response, to be more specific Owen Stout had a response. He scored his first two goals in a span of 5 minutes to re-store their three goal lead. His first goal he took a crafty bounce pass of the boards from Jake Brien and scored on a breakaway.

Stout's second came after Luca Leone picked Yamnitsky's pocket after he went out from behind the net to play the puck and he set up Stout alone in the slot who snapped it home for a 5-2 Express lead.

That goal brought and end to the night for Yamnitsky after allowing five goals on nine shots. Morgan Kelly would replace Yamnitsky but he had very little to do the rest of the way.

Matt Baker cut the Express lead to 5-3 jamming in a loose puck on the power play before the second period was done.

Wenatchee in the third period was given every opportunity to continue the comeback. Chris Jones was the beneficiary of the officials not blowing the play dead after the puck was covered up in a prolonged scrum in front of the Express net. Jones snapped a shot up over the glove of Fenton once the puck was dug loose.

The Wild were handed four powerplays in the third period and ten in game while the Express were just given a single man advantage. All those powerplays played a role in the Wild outshooting the Express 18-0 in the 3rd period. A number of the penalties had a number of members of the Express none too happy with the officiating. Most notably a questionable interference call assessed to David Giunta.

But despite the adversity the Express fought through it and held on for the win. Lawson Fenton finished with 43 saves for his second victory of the season.

The Express will wrap up their five game home stand Sunday afternoon vs. Salmon Arm. 

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