EXPRESS WIN 40TH GAME AS CLAY STEVENSON SETS EXPRESS FRANCHISE SHUTOUT RECORD

Graphic by Jacob Lazare.

Clay Stevenson made 29 saves for his 4th shutout of the season and his 6th in his regular season career as the Express blanked Langley 5-0. Click here for boxscore

For Stevenson, his 6th career regular season shutout passes Cole Huggins for the most all time in Express history. His 4th shutout this season ties Matthew Gordon for most in a single season. It was also his 29th win of the season which tied Kevin Jebson for most wins in a season by a goaltender in Express history.

Langley came out hitting trying to set an early tone. Most notably Massimo Rizzo was on the receiving end of a double team hit in the neutral zone. But it would be long until Langley wasn't able to keep up with the Carolina Hurricanes pick.

Joey Berkopec opened the scoring for the Express just past the 5 minute mark snapping a shot over the glove of Braedon Fleming. For Berkopec it was his first goal in an Express uniform since being acquired from Merritt.

Massimo Rizzo had been very dangerous in the last few games for the Express. But he wasn't getting the pay off by finding the back of the net with the hard work he was putting in to generate chances.

Tonight he broke through. Just past the 11 minute mark he converted a Greg Lapointe pass tipping home his first of the night. The goal chased Fleming after just two goals on four shots.

Greg Lapointe and Danny Pearson both returned to the lineup after missing time with injuries. Lapointe's impact was immediate as he had a number of good chances in the first period.

Jonathan Mor came in the Langley net following the 2-0 goal. Late in the period he had no chance handing a wicked Rizzo wrist shot for a 3-0 Express lead after one.

Danny Pearson had his share of chances during the night in his return to the lineup. He picked up an assist in his return with a shot that wound up in the feet of Mor and was tucked home in the goal crease by Brad Ong. It was the third goal in the last two games for Ong.

Stevenson only had to make 6 saves in the second period. But he got some help in the period to keep Langley off the board when a loose puck in the crease that Stevenson couldn't find right away was cleared just as Stevenson found the puck and was in the process of covering it.

In the third, not only did Stevenson had to fight off Langley shooters. He had to endure a few collisions in the crease. The second one he had Sean Bunting hit on top of the Express goaltender as Noah De La Durantaye hustled back to get into the play and levelled the Langley forward.

The contact didn't deter the Express goaltender in his pursuit of his 4th shutout of the season.

Rizzo meanwhile had his share of chances in the second period to get his 3rd of the night. Then when he was not trying to finish off the hat-trick he was able to cap it off. On a two on one with Nick Carabin, Rizzo's pass for the Express defenceman ended up going in off a Langley defenceman for Rizzo's second hat-trick of the season.

Friday's game was loaded with penalties. The Express were 0 for 9 on the powerplay. But they were a perfect 8 for 8 on the penalty kill. Friday's effort will move the Express back into the top spot in the overall BCHL penalty killing rankings.

Saturday will see the Express hit the road for their lone visit of the season to Wenatchee. 

EXPRESS AT RIVERMEN HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the Express franchise record 37th win of the season 8-1 Sunday over Langley.

Highlights produced by Eddie Gregory. 

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.