EAGLES & EXPRESS BURN OUT GOAL LIGHTS IN SEASON OPENER

Keegan Jones opened the scoring - Photo courtesy of Damon James

If you were looking for tight checking, structured defensive hockey, the season opener between the Express and Eagles wasn't the game for you.

It was a game that resembled the lack of structure of a season opener for both the Express and Eagles.  The end result was a 8-7 goal fest in favour of the Express. Click here for boxscore

Both teams had their runs offensively throughout the night and it was the fans who entertained.

Keegan Jones got the Express off on the right foot opening the scoring 41 seconds into the game snapping a shot from the right wing.

Newly minted Express captain Luca Leone on a breakaway gave the Express a 2-0 lead just over seven minutes in.

Sam Kozlowski - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Then the pendulum swung in the Eagles direction. Logan Mostat scored his first of two on the night tipping a Andrew Cordssen-David point on the power play to get the Eagles on the board midway through the 1st period.

To cap off the first period Surrey scored three times in a span of 2:24 on goals from Jeffery Stewart, Andrew Kemp and Mitchell Williams for a 4-2 Eagles lead after 1 period.

The pendulum swung back in the Express direction in the second period. Cam Bertsch scored his first of the season just over a minute into the second period with a deflection in the high slot of a Troy Robillard point shot.

Then Jake Toor had a moment he won't forget picking off a cross ice D to D pass and snapped home his first BCHL goal 12 minutes into the second to tie the game at 4.

Like the first period the goals came fast and furious to end the period.

Blake Hayward scored his first of the season for a 5-4 Express lead. 1:05 later it was 5-5 when Darius Davidson beat Lawson Fenton on a quick pass out from behind the Express net.

The Eagles fans haven't had a chance to savor the goal when the Express struck on a goal by Alex Ambrosio just 11 seconds after the Davidson goal to re-store the Express lead at 6-5.

Cal Walker - Photo courtesy of Damon James

1:44 later Owen Stout found a loose puck in the Eagles crease and poked it home for a 7-5 Express lead through two periods.

The second period ended with four goals in exactly four minutes.

At this point entering the third period it was clear no lead was safe.

The Eagles battled back to tie the game at 7 in the third period on power play goals by Tyler Cooper and Logan Mostat. Surrey finished 3 for 6 on the power play.

Owen Stout scored what would turn out to the the game winning goal coming off the boards and snapping home his second of the night with just 4:19 left in the third period. Stout finished with 2 goals and 2 assists and was named first star. Blake Hayward had 1 goal and 2 assists.

Goaltenders Lawson Fenton for the Express picked up the win with 38 saves on 45 shots and Marc Audet for Surrey took the loss with 8 goals on 27 Express shots.

The Express will be back in action Saturday night when they take on the Langley Rivermen from the George Preston Recreation centre.

LEONE EXPRESS CAPTAIN FOR 2016-17 SEASON

Luca Leone (24) will serve as captain in 16-17 - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Coquitlam Express are pleased to announce that forward Luca Leone has been named the captain for the 2016-17 season.

Leone (96) will be a twenty year old this season and is entering his third season with the Express during the 2016-17 campaign. In 63 career BCHL games all with the Express the Vancouver native has 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points. In 15-16 in 34 games Leone posted 6 goals and 14 assists for 20 points.

In addition to his time in the BCHL, Leone has 70 career WHL games with the Vancouver Giants and Swift Current Broncos.

Five other players will serve as assistant captains this season. Twenty year old forward Cam Bertsch will serve as an alternate captain for all games for the Express this season. Domenic Masellis and Keegan Jones will serve as alternates when the Express wear their black uniforms. Blake Hayward and Alex Ambrosio will serve as alternates when the Express wear their whites.

Coquitlam Express Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff says "We are very proud of this leadership group and hope that they can lead us toward a successful 2016-17 BCHL."

The Express will kick off their 15th BCHL season Friday September 9th in Surrey.

2016 EXPRESS EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

The Express will open their training camp for the 2016-17 season Monday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.

Here's their full exhibition schedule leading up to the start of the regular season September 9th in Surrey.

Wednesday Aug. 24 home vs. Langley Rivermen (Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre) 7pm

Thursday Aug. 25 @ Langley Rivermen (Langley Sportsplex) 7pm

Friday and Saturday Aug. 26 & 27 @ Wenatchee Wild

Tuesday Aug. 30 @ Chilliwack Chiefs (Game played in Hope)

Friday Sep. 2 vs. Surrey (Port Coquitlam Rec. Centre)

EXPRESS 2016-17 SCHEDULE

Getting caught up on the Express upcoming schedule for the 2016-17 season.

Changes to the BCHL website recently prevent seeing the full schedule on one web page.

Links to each month.

September, October, November, December, January, February

Similar to last year the Express will spend the month of September on the road. It will start with a pair of games September 9th and 10th in Surrey and Langley. Then visits to Vernon and Salmon Arm.

The showcase will follow in Chilliwack with the Express being the home team on Thursday September 22nd vs. the defending RBC cup champion West Kelowna Warriors at 1pm. Then two days later the Express will play in the secondary rink at 3pm as the road team vs. the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. That game is one of only two total games at the showcase to be played in the secondary arena.

The Express will have a full home and home with West Kelowna and Alberni Valley this season in addition to the two showcase meetings.

The following weekend will see the Express head to the Island for a three game swing in Victoria, Nanaimo and Alberni Valley. That will complete the first 10 games of the season before the Express will play their home opener Friday October 7th vs. the Langley Rivermen in the first of a home and home. That will be followed by a visit next Thursday to Surrey. All told the Express will play 11 of their first 12 games away from the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.

That will be followed by a 5 game home stand which includes the only regular season visit from the RBC cup champion West Kelowna Warriors on Wednesday October 19th.

Following the home stand the Express head to Prince George for two visits up north this season. They will play a pair of games October 28th and 29th. And they will have a single visit Friday November 25th. Like last year there will be a quick turnaround for the Express after a game in Prince George to come back to the Mainland for a home game the next night vs. Vernon.

Other notes from the schedule include:

The Express will play a total of 34 of their 58 games against Mainland division opponents. 7 each vs. Surrey, Langley, Chilliwack, Wenatchee and 6 vs. Prince George.

They will play 4 road and 3 home vs. Chilliwack and Langley. And 4 home and 3 road vs. Surrey and Wenatchee. And 6 vs. Prince George three home and away.

January shapes up to be a very busy month with a total of 14 games (7 home, 7 away) played in 25 nights from the 4th to
the 28th.

Among those 14 games it will include back to back weekends with three games on three consecutive days. That includes a trip to Powell River and Cowichan Valley. As January draws to a close the Express will play a 4 game home stand.

They will open February with a pair of games in the interior vs. Trail and West Kelowna. Those two games will be last significant travel the Express will have after January 16th in Wenatchee. To conclude the regular season the Express will finish with a four game home stand concluding February 24th vs. Prince George.