EXPRESS SET FRANCHISE RECORD IN PRINCE GEORGE

A new franchise record for regular season consecutive wins was set by the Express with their 11th in a row after a 8-5 win in Prince George Saturday. Click here for boxscore

Heading into the game it would have been understandable if this game slipped through the hands of the Express. Injuries up front and on the blueline meant that 13 forwards and 5 defence were dressed with 4 affiliate players in the lineup.

Early on the patchwork lineup showed. A Jack Watson misplay of the puck behind the net resulted in Thomas Richter opening the scoring at 1:52. That was followed by a pair of Corey Cunningham goals  two and a half minutes apart and Prince George had quickly jumped out to a early 3-0 lead.

From then on Jack Watson settled down and his team did in front of him as well. Greg Lapointe started the comeback for the Express snapping shot past the glove of Jett Alexander for his 19th of the season.

Cooper Connell cut to the net and cut the Prince George lead to 3-2 with a backhand goal before the first period was done.

Prince George native Ethan O'Rourke played a big role (pardon the pun) in helping set Express history at the expense of his former team. Early in the second he tapped home a pass to pull the Express even at 3.

Adam Trotman just past the 5 minute mark gave the Express their first lead of the net speeding in from the left wing and sliding a backhand past Alexander to make it a 4-3 game.

This back and forth game saw Prince George tie things up just a shade under 90 seconds later when Domenic Gorozzo snapped a shot past Watson.

A minute later O'Rourke struck for his second of the night dancing in and roofing a quick shot over Alexander for a 5-4 Express lead through two periods.

O'Rourke capped off his first junior hockey hat-trick potting home a loose puck despite a collision at the Prince George crease that had bumped the net and it's supports to open a 6-4 Express lead.

Now with a two goal lead in hand with just under a full period to play the shorthanded Express just had to dig in as a group and hold this thing to the finish line. Nolan Welsh made it a one goal game just shy of the 8 minute mark.

But this battle tested Express group persevered and Cooper Connell buried his second of the night on a one timer for a powerplay goal with just over six to goal. Then Josh Wildauer sealed the win with an empty net goal with just over two minutes to go.

The 11 game winning streak breaks the regular season franchise record set during the 06-07 season. The all time Express winning streak record is 13 games during 05-06 season split over the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. Overall the Express have won 18 of their last 19 games.

And by improving to 30-5 before the Christmas break, the Express have joined a special group of teams with 30 wins before Christmas.

With a 30-5 record and posting their 30th win before the 🎄Xmas break,@BCHLExpress join a prestigious list of @GoBCHL teams since 03-04 with 30 wins before Xmas.

15-16 Vees 34 games
11-12 Vees 35 games
09-10 Vipers & Vees 33 & 37 games
05-06 Bulldogs 38 games

— Eddie Gregory (@EddieGregory81) December 15, 2019

The Express will wrap up their pre-Christmas portion of the schedule Wednesday afternoon at high noon when they will host Prince George in the first school day game of the season.

EXPRESS DOUBLE WILD

Connor Gregga had a three point night as the Express defeated the Wenatchee Wild 4-2 to extend their home winning streak to 20 and overall winning streak to 9 games Sunday night. Click here for boxscore

Gregga got his night going snapping home his first of two goals on the night from the slot past Daniel Chenard assisted by Ethan O'Rourke and Drew Cooper just past the 7 minute mark.

Wenatchee was ravaged with injuries which forced them to only dress 10 forwards. But it didn't deter their group. They pulled even on a goal off the rush when Ethan Wolthers got a half step on the defence and sped in then dished a feed over to Sam Morton who converted the 2 on 1 with a shot past Jack Watson.

A Wild two man advantage allowed them to take their lone lead of the night when Drew Bavaro blasted a rocket of a one timer over the shoulder of Watson for a 2-1 Wild lead.

Sunday's game forced the Express to raise their pace to a high level to match the energy of the Wild. The Express speed paid dividends for the Express all night. They had a strong finish to the period but weren't unable to come out of the first tied.

The Express kept their up tempo play into the second period. It quickly resulted in a good chance for Gregga in the opening seconds of the second period.

Then the teams began to trade chances up and down the ice. Will Margel found himself on a two on one rush. Margel's shot went high over the net as he tried to beat Chenard over the glove. Seconds later Margel found himself at the side of the net tapping in a Greg Lapointe pass to tie the game at two.

For Margel he has a 8 game point streak with 3 goals and 6 assists.

Ethan O'Rourke has taken on the role of entering the line with Margel and Gregga while Massimo Rizzo is at the World Junior A Challenge. And he's making the most of the opportunity right now.

O'Rourke took a Gregga pass in the neutral zone and powered in from the left wing and holding off a Wild defenceman who had no chance after getting the puck off O'Rourke who tucked it in to give the Express a 3-2 lead. O'Rourke has 3 goals and 2 assists in the last 3 games.

Gregga picked up his third point of the night for some Express insurance early in the third period. He took a great cross ice pass from Brad Ong and was poised roofing a shot over the shoulder of Chenard for a 4-2 Express lead.

From there the Express locked it down as Jack Watson finished with 23 saves for the win.

The win caps off a perfect 8 game home stand for the BCHL's top team.

They will head to Prince George for a pair of games next weekend. The Express can match a franchise record for regular season consecutive wins at 10 set in 06-07 with a win on Friday. The all time Express record for consecutive wins is 13 that was split between the end of the 2005-06 season regular season and into the playoffs. 

CLIPPERS AT EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the Express dramatic 4-3 win over Nanaimo Sunday.



Highlights produced by Eddie Gregory.

WILDAUER'S BUZZER BEATER KEEPS EXPRESS UNDEFEATED AT HOME

The Express needed 59 minutes and 58.2 seconds to keep their undefeated home ice record in tact. They did off the stick of Josh Widlauer's powerplay goal with 1.8 seconds to play to give the Express a 4-3 win over Nanaimo. Click here for boxscore

The teams were without a combined 5 players from their rosters who were off to selection camp for Team Canada West and the World Junior A challenge. The Express were missing Massimo Rizzo and Connor Gregga.

Sunday's game was also the Express annual teddy bear toss. It's hard to quantify of the absence of two forwards and or the anticipation of the teddy bear toss goal and if it helped play a role in some early nerves in the Express game.

A turnover at the Express line allowed Travis Walton to pounce in the puck and snap a shot past the glove of Jack Watson to open the scoring just 2:23 into the contest.

The Express had to dig deep throughout the game to find their rhythm. It started to come as the first period progressed.

Ethan O'Rourke along with Danny Pearson joined Will Margel's line to start the game with Rizzo and Gregga in Calgary. O'Rourke made the most of his opportunity today and he got sent the stuffed animals flying by busting down the wing and snapping a shot past the stick of Jordan Naylor to tie the game at 1.

Cooper Connell came oh so close to giving the Express a 2-1 lead when the puck got behind Naylor and Connell did his best to jam in the bouncing puck lurking in the crease with no luck.

A won battle behind the Express net midway through the second period resulted with the second Clippers lead of the game on a goal from Steve Agriogianis set up by Sean Donaldson.

Again it was Ethan O'Rourke with a key role to help pull the Express even. This time his shot from the right wing was kicked out by Jordan Naylor but Adam Trotman quickly pounced on the rebound to tie the game at two. For Trotman it was his first goal since his two goal effort at the end of October in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo had an answer for an Express tying goal for a third time. Devon Mussio went D to D to Aidan Hansen-Bukata whose seeing eye shot eluded Jack Watson through a screen for a 3-2 Nanaimo lead after two periods.

Sunday's game was Nanaimo's 3rd in as many days with stops in Wenatchee and West Kelowna before coming to Coquitlam.

In the opening seconds of the third period a fall by Steven Bellini allowed Travis Walton to walk in and was denied on a key save by Watson to keep the deficit for the Express at one.

Slowy as the third period went along the tide of the game slowly started to turn in the Express favour. They were spending more time in the offensive zone. Forcing Nanaimo into a number of icing calls. And they were content at times to clear the puck out of their zone by any means necessary while holding on to a one goal lead.

Just shy of the 9 minute mark Brad Ong pulled the Express onto even terms for a third time burying  a rebound set up by Nick Carabin and Will Margel. Margel picked up a pair of helpers for the Express.



Then with just over a minute to play and the Express pressing in the Clippers zone, Josh Wildauer was hauled down behind the net with 1:05 to play for just the second Express powerplay of the game.

The powerplay was patient while waiting for their chance to break the deadlock. It finally came in the dying seconds with Wildauer feeding Steven Bellini at the line and then the puck was back on Wildauer's stick who snapped home the goal that would give the Express their lone lead of the night with 1.8 seconds left on the clock.

The dramatic goal keeps the Express undefeated at home now sitting at 17-0. And it extended their home winning streak to 18 games dating back to game 4 last year vs. Prince George in the first round.

It's now 7 straight wins for the Express and 14 wins in their last 15 games. The Trail Smoke Eaters will visit the Express Friday night in the 7th game of the season high 8 game home stand.

EXPRESS GRIND OUT 13TH WIN

Ethan O'Rourke celebrates his first Express goal just a little
Photo courtesy of Damon James.

This one went right down to the wire, but the Express held firm for a 3-1 win over the Langley Rivermen. Click here for boxscore

It was the 6th meeting between the teams in the first 17 games of the season for the Express. Coquitlam improved to 4-2 in the season series.

Coming off a 4-1 loss in Surrey and one of their more lacklustre performances of the season, the Express were looking for a much better outing back on home ice. And right from the get go the Express showed their mettle that has gotten them to this point of the season.

The line of Massimo Rizzo, Greg Lapointe and Connor Gregga started the game. They were coming of Friday's game where that unit struggled to find any rhythm. In this game they were clicking right from the get go with a good shift in the Langley zone to start the game.

Midway through the period Connor Gregga took a pass from Rizzo and beat Braedon Fleming on the short side with a shot that rang in off the post to open the scoring.

That was followed 45 seconds later by Ethan O'Rourke's first Express goal. He showed good hands in front of the net to bury the rebound of a Noah De La Durantaye shot for a 2-0 Express lead with a delayed penalty to Langley in effect.

After falling behind 2-0 Langley ramped up their physicality and the Express responded to it by weathering their hits and pushing their pace up a level to come out of the period with a two goal lead and outshooting Langley 8-4.

Langley found themselves in penalty trouble in the second period. That included a two man advantage for the Express for one minute, but they struggled to establish good possession in the offensive zone to make the most of the opportunity.

Jake Livingstone late in the period buried a rebound for a powerplay goal to cut the Express lead to 2-1.

It was at this point going forward where Express goaltender Clay Stevenson showed his MVP status with three quality saves to help the Express take their lead to the room after 40 minutes. He would finish with 19 saves for his 10th win of the season.

With as often as these division rivals have seen each other in a short period of time it's no surprise that the tempers at times would get short. That was highlighted by an early 3rd period fight between Brad Ong and Brendan Budy. It was a good trade off for the Express with Langley losing their most skilled forward while down a single goal.

His loss was felt as the opening half of the third period went on with Langley getting three straight powerplays. Without their top scorer it helped the Express kill off all those penalties to hold on to their one goal lead. All told Langley went 1 for 5 on the powerplay.

Late in the final minute of the game the Express finally got their insurance by clearing the puck out of their zone and getting down into Langley's end where Josh Wildauer hustled to the loose puck and slid home his 3rd of the season into the empty net with 4 seconds to play.

The win improved the Express to 8-0 on home ice at the Poirier Sports and Leisure centre.

The Express will hit the road for their next two games Tuesday night in Victoria and the next night in Nanaimo.