The Coquitlam Express are very proud to announce that goaltender Tyger Howat (95) has committed to Northern Michigan University for the fall of 2016.
The commitment allows the Brighton Michigan native to play college hockey in his home state. This season with the Express Howat posted a 9-12-1 record in 25 games with a 3.80 GAA and .909 save percentage. He also appeared in one playoff game. Howat also played in 13 games with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs during the 2013-14 season.
Photo courtesy of Damon James
"We're extremely proud of Tyger, and seeing him get this opportunity is a huge feather in Tyger's cap. He's faced a lot of adversity in his junior career and he just kept pushing forward every time there was a road block. His continued perseverence and ability to stay focused on his goals is all something we can learn from and something Tyger should be very proud of." Said Express Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff.
"I would like to thank the Express coaching staff, Barry Wolff, Rob Boyd and goalie coach Joey Ali for making my 20 year old year a memorable one. Getting an opportunity to return to play in the BCHL was everything I thought it would be. I am very thankful for the opportunity to continue my development which led to this Northern Michigan opportunity. I can not thank them enough. Said Tyger Howat.
Northern Michigan plays in the WCHA conference and are located in Marquette Michigan.
For the Express heading up to Penticton if you were to list a number of items for the Express to tick off to snap the Vees 22 game winning streak they would be...
- Top notch goaltending - check
- Smart decisions with the puck - check
- Disciplined play - check
- Be ready to go for 60 minutes and possibly more - check
The Express did all those things and played their best game of the season in Penticton Wednesday but lost 1-0 in double overtime. Click here for boxscore
Wednesday's game may have been the game of the season in the BCHL this year. Tyler Howat for the Express and Anthony Brodeur for the Vees were stellar in their respective creases.
Head Coach Barry Wolff knew entering this week that his team had three big tests with two games vs. Penticton and one vs. Wenatchee. He pushed his troops hard at practice to be ready to go. And in their first test they rewarded their head coach with a strong game.
The Express caught a break right from the start with Colton Poolman of the Vees being called for delay of game after he failed to leave the ice on time following the conclusion of warm up.
That allowed the Express to settle in the game and try and put the Vees in an early hole. The Express weren't able to convert on the power play. Minutes later the Express were on the power play a second time. This time around they were a little more threatening around the Vees net but weren't able to get a puck past Brodeur.
The Express started the game by outshooting the Vees 11-0.
One of the Vees best chances in the first period came off the stick of Demico Hannoun who had a shorthanded breakaway and couldn't beat Howat trying to go to the backhand. (Full disclosure here) It was hard to tell from my broadcast position so far away if Howat got a piece to make a save or Hannoun missed the net.
Scott Conway came close to opening the scoring in the first period ringing a shot off the crossbar from the left circle. Then the best chance for either team in the first period came off the stick of Tyson Jost, he had the puck at the side of a wide open Express net and I still don't know how he was unable to convert the tap in and it was scoreless after one period.
The bounces continued to go Howat's way in the second period when Hannoun rang a shot off the post from the right wing. Owen Sillenger also ripped a shot off the red metal from the left wing.
The Express had another solid period outshooting the Vees 13-10 and had a 27-18 advantage in shots through 40 minutes.
The Vees really began to press in the third period looking to break the deadlock. But Howat only raised his game to match the Vees level.
Tyson Jost had three good chances in regulation play to score. Aside from the tap in he missed, he was robbed by Howat on the power play after unleashing a one timer from the right circle only to be turned away by the black and red leather glove of Howat. Jost also had a good chance to score in the final two minutes of the third period as he used his speed to attack the Express defence and take the puck to the net.
Blake Hayward watched for an anxious two minutes in the third period sitting on the penalty box after a solid play on the back check. Hayward came out of the box and joined Colton Kerfoot to set up a two on one. Kerfoot slid the puck across the Hayward who couldn't finish the chance as Brodeur reached back to keep the puck out.
The Express executed their game plan to a "T" for a full 60 minutes but not a single goal was scored. So for just the second time in franchise history the Express had played 60 minutes of scoreless hockey. The only other occasion was the season opener for the Express at the first ever BCHL showcase where Brady Shaw gave the Express a 1-0 OT win over Victoria on September 12, 2013.
But this game was historic for the Express being the first game to be scoreless going into 3 on 3 overtime after nothing was decided of 5 minutes of 4 on 4.
After 65 minutes of scoreless hockey, it seemed like the game ended in a blink of an eye in 3 on 3. The Vees won the opening draw and Scott Conway on the opening possession attacked Jackson Cressey one on one and beat him then just trickled a shot through Howat for a heart breaking ending for the Express and extending the Vees winning streak to 23 just 16 seconds into double overtime.
The loss for the Express was disappointing. But they showed what they can do when they're on their game. Play smart and be able to compete with the best team in the country. The Express will have another crack at the Vees Saturday night in Coquitlam. Before that they will host the Wenatchee Wild Friday.
Charlie Barrow scored his second overtime winner of the season for his second goal of the game in a 3-2 Express win over the West Kelowna Warriors Tuesday night. Click here for boxscore
The Belmont Massachusetts native also scored the game tying goal in the third period.
It was a game that had a number of twists and turns. Most notably in the second period.
Things started well for the Express as Colton Kerfoot opened the scoring on a first period power play. Kerfoot closed in from the right circle and picked the top corner on Stephen Heslop as Taylor Green used his 6'7 frame to create a very effective screen.
Former Express Garrett Forster pulled the Warriors even early in the second period as he wired a shot in off the goal post past Tyger Howat.
That would be the start of a very dominant second period for the Warriors.
Howat then came up with a spectacular save on a Warriors power play stretching out to rob Paul Lovsin.
West Kelowna took their lone lead of the night when Liam Blackburn found Quin Foreman in front of the Express net and he deked around a fully stretched out Howat and slid the puck home.
Moments later Howat was down on one knee and in discomfort on the ice. He would end up leaving the game favoring his left leg and didn't return. Perhaps the save on Lovsin or the goal by Foreman or a combination of the two led to the injury.
That put Lawson Fenton in a tough spot to face the barrage of the Warriors attack. And face a barrage Fenton did. West Kelowna seemingly had the puck in the Express end for almost the entire second period. But Fenton was there to shut the door for the Express. West Kelowna outshot the Express 19-5 in the 2nd period.
Late in the middle frame Jack Serowiec delivered a big hit in the corner on defenseman Jake Harrison. He would leave the game and not return.
Seroweic was given a two minute check to the head penalty plus the automatic 10 minute misconduct. He also had to answer the bell and dropped the mitts with Rylan Yaremko and was given the automatic ejection. Also in that sequence Austin McIlmurray was given a game misconduct.
Coming out of the second period the Express were down three players from their roster for a variety of reasons.
The Express would tilt the ice back in their favour in the third period.
Alex Ambrosio moved up the the first line with Jackson Cressey and Colton Kerfoot for the third period following McIlmurray's ejection. He would help the Express create some chances for the in the third period.
Midway through the frame Ambrosio's centering pass went through the goal crease then bounced back to Charlie Barrow who blasted home his first of the night off the post to tie the game at two.
Fenton would shut the door on all 8 shots in the third period to get the game to overtime. He finished making 17 saves on all 17 shots sent his way after relieving Howat midway through the second period.
It didn't take long for the overtime to come to an end. Kerfoot would dig the puck out of a prolonged scrum for the puck in the corner, turn and find a perfectly timed pinch from Barrow who snapped home a pass upstairs for his second overtime winner in less than a week to give the Express a 3-2 win.
The win improved the Express to 3-0-1 in overtime this season. They've played beyond 60 minutes in three of their last four games.
Up next the Express are back home Friday night vs. the Powell River Kings before heading back on the road to the first visit to Wenatchee and Trail.
