EXPRESS BLANK EAGLES IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

Clay Stevenson made 18 saves for his second shutout of the season and former Surrey Eagle Ty Westgard scored twice and added an assist in his return to the South Surrey Arena in a 7-0 Express win over the Eagles to end the regular season.

This game marked the first time that Ty Westgard and Aaron White returned to the South Surrey Arena since being acquired by the Express at the trade deadline. Those two along with another former Surrey Eagle Chase Danol all were in the starting lineup thanks to Head Coach Jason Fortier.

The bench boss wanted to see his team start with purpose in the regular season finale. He got exactly that from his group which was rewarded 90 seconds into the game by Regan Kimens who opened the scoring on his 20th of the season.

That was the only goal in the first period. The other notable moment of the opening 20 minutes was the media timeout where the Eagles acknowledged the 160 games that Ty Westgard dressed in an Eagles uniform.

All night long the Express played with a little extra jump in their step, they picked up their physical play for one of their more impressive outings in recent weeks. That allowed them to remain in control of the game.

PIto Walton jumped into the rush and beat Cayden Bailey with a backhand for his 8th of the season and a 2-0 Express lead just shy of the 5 minute mark of the second period.

Then Alex DiPaolo found himself walking in from centre ice on a breakaway and ripped a shot over Bailey's shoulder for a 3-0 Express lead.

From this point, the former Eagles started to get in on the fun. Chase Danol picked up a loose puck in the slot after a won Christian Sanda face-off and snapped home his 22nd of the season for a 4-0 lead 1:20 after DiPaolo's goal.

Ty Westgard picked up an assist on Walton's goal in the second period. He started to fill the net early in the 3rd period, taking a pass out from behind the net and tucked in his first of the night to open up a 5-0 Express lead.

By this point the Express were dominating the Eagles in puck possession, and the third period was owned by the visitors.

Christian Sanda finished off the prettiest goal of the night sliding home a Chase Danol backhand pass after Jared Power turned from the boards to dish to Danol coming late.

Westgard then added his 2nd of the night less than a minute later to complete a three point night in his return to Surrey.

The Express finished with a season best 53 shots on goal and posted a season low of 18 shots allowed.

The Eagles capped off a classy night despite being on the wrong end of the score by naming Chase Danol the second star and giving Ty Westgard first star honours.

The win officially secured third place in the Mainland division for the Express and they will face the Prince George Spruce Kings in the first round of the playoff starting next Friday in Prince George. The teams last met in the playoffs in 2014. 

EXPRESS OUTPACE BULLDOGS

Ty Westgard picked up four assists and Regan Kimens scored twice while adding a helper as the Express doubled Alberni Valley 8-4. Click here for boxscore

The Express started the game as if they were shot out of a cannon playing a high tempo pace that the road weary Bulldogs looked like they would have trouble keeping up with.

Defenceman Pito Walton followed the play right to the Bulldogs net and converted a Regan Kimens pass for a 1-0 Express lead just 30 seconds into the game.

And from there the Express were buzzing in the Bulldogs zone and it took until the 8 minute mark of the game before Alberni Valley was credited with their first shot, while the Express had 8 on John Hawthorne at the other end.

Alberni Valley pulled even taking advantage of an Express turnover at the Bulldogs blueline allowing Issac Tonkin-Palmer to be quickly sprung the other way and snapping a shot in off the glove of Clay Stevenson to tie the game at 1.

Jordan Schulting restored the Express lead late in the period, heading to the net and converting a tip in pass from Ty Westgard for Schulting's 2nd of the season.

Christian Sanda was robbed in the final minute of the period by John Hawthorne who stretched out as far as he could to keep the Express lead at just 2-1 after the Express outshot Alberni Valley 15-4 in the first period.

Dawson Tritt thought he tied the game at two on a powerplay goal he jammed in from under the glove of Clay Stevenson. After discussion by the officials, the call was overturned on coincidental contact.

Regan Kimens potted his first of the net converting from the slot for the second two goal Express lead of the night at 3-1.

The second period wasn't quite as uptempo as the first period. That allowed Alberni Valley to claw their way back in the game at moments.

Mitch Deelstra cut in the Express zone with speed and did a good job to fight off Jack Cameron then slide home his 15th of the season.

Josh Wildauer had the response for the Express just 30 seconds later snapping home his 22nd of the season from the right circle.

The pesky Bulldogs made it a one goal game for a third time two minutes later on a goal by Stephen Castagna.

It was at this point the Express would shake off the Bulldogs and pull away for good.

Regan Kimens from just inside the blueline took a drop pass and ripped home his 5th goal against Alberni Valley this season. Then exactly one minute later Dallas Farrell found himself alone in front of the net and took a backhand from Danny Pearson and Farrell put the Express up 6-3 after 2 periods.

Danny Pearson 5 minutes into the third scored for a second straight game in which he dressed going to the net and converting a set up from Farrell to make it a 7-3 game.

Ryan Novecosky surprised Clay Stevenson snapping a shot from the point for his first of the season to make it a 7-4 game.

That was followed by Alex DiPaolo finishing the scoring tipping home a heads up pass from Jack Cameron.

John Hawthorne then denied Regan Kimens second hat-trick of the season vs. the Bulldogs with a great glove save on a late third period powerplay.

The Express finished the game outshooting Alberni Valley 34-23. Both teams went 0 for 2 on the powerplay.

The win improves the Express to 3-0-1 in their 6 game home stand picking points in all 4 games so far. It will continue Wednesday afternoon when the Express host the Surrey Eagles.

EXPRESS ACQUIRE WESTGARD AND WHITE FROM EAGLES

The Coquitlam Express made a big trade one day prior to the BCHL trade deadline acquiring forwards Ty Westgard and Aaron White in exchange for forward Cole Edgerton and future considerations.

Westgard is the marquee name in this trade as a 20 year old veteran and 5th year player in the BCHL.

The Surrey native's production has taken a big jump dating back to last season. In 82 games dating back to last season Westgard has 25 goals and 79 assists for 104 points. This season he has 10 goals and 24 assists for 24 points in 26 games. Those number are still tops on the Surrey Eagles this season.

Last season Westgard teamed up with John Wesley for one the more explosive offensive duos in the BCHL. His 55 assists were the second most in the BCHL. His 70 points finished tied for 2nd in BCHL scoring.

In 160 career BCHL games all with Surrey, Westgard has 43 goals and 116 assists for 159 points. He also spent time in the WHL with Victoria and Portland with 1 goal and 3 assists in 28 games.

Aaron White has split this season with Surrey in the BCHL and Madison and Omaha in the USHL.

This season in Surrey the Sylvania, Michigan native had 3 goals in 10 games All three goals coming in a 7-6 loss in Merritt in early September. In the USHL White had 1 goal and 5 assists in 21 games. Last season in Surrey, White 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points in 43 games.

Both Westgard and White are entering the Express room to some familiar faces playing last season with forward Chase Danol. White was also a teammate in the 16-17 season with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U18 program with Danol and Josh Wildauer.

Edgerton dressed for 30 games with the Express this season with 3 goals and 7 assists. 

EXPRESS WIN 4TH STRAIGHT

First and foremost on behalf of everyone in the Express organization we all hope Ty Westgard is ok and wish his family the best after a scary incident to Ty's leg in the opening five minutes of the second period. I would prefer not to speculate on what the exact nature of his injury is. And thank you to the personnel in the building who attended to him before paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital.

Now on to the game which clearly is secondary.

Photo courtesy of Damon James.

The Express extended their winning streak to 4 straight games with a 6-3 win over the Surrey Eagles. Click here for boxscore 

Corey Mackin added to his BCHL lead in the goal scoring race with his third hat-trick of the season to pace the attack. Mackin now has 21 goals on the season. His three points also puts him in a tie with West Kelowna's Liam Blackburn for the lead in the BCHL scoring race with 35 points.

It was a back and forth game in the first two periods. Darius Davidson for Surrey and Corey Mackin traded goals in the first period.

Then in the second period it was John Wesley giving Surrey their second lead of the game at 2-1 shortly after the resumption of play following Ty Westgard's injury. Mackin then added his second of the game beating Daniel Davidson with a wrist shot from the left wing.

Brendan Lamont gave the Express their first lead of the night 19 seconds into the third period as he was hooked on a partial break then was able to poke the puck home for his 5th of the season.

Friday's game was the Express debut for Brendan Gulka who was acquired earlier in the day from the Cowichan Valley Capitals. He left his mark on the contest shortly after Lamont's goal by scoring his first Express marker banging home the rebound of a Joey Santucci shot from the boards.

AP Jordan Funk made things interesting scoring with 3:07 remaining.

But the Express were able to put the game to bed on empty net goals by Corey Mackin to complete the hat-trick and Cody Boyd to round out the scoring.

The two teams will meet again Saturday night at the South Surrey Arena.