EXPRESS POWER PAST EAGLES

The Express had a season high of 5 power play goals en route to a 6-0 win over the Surrey Eagles. Click here for boxscore

Brock Hamm made 41 saves to post his first shutout in an Express uniform.

It was the fourth meeting between the teams in just under three weeks. The last time the teams met the Express fell by a 4-1 score in Surrey nearly two weeks ago.

In that meeting the Eagles got off to a quick start, and the Express never really clawed their way back in it.

Wednesday it was a much better start for the Express. The power play got things going 5 minutes into the game on a wrist shot by Jonathan Sheardown for his first BCHL goal to open the scoring. Sheardown's shot completely destroyed the water bottle of Eagles goaltender Daniel Davidson. Sheardown's goal was the first time in 6 games the Express scored first.

Surrey looked for the equalizer and quickly learned that Express goaltender Brock Hamm was dialed in. His best save in the first period came off a one timer by Ryan Brushett in the slot.

Josh Wildauer tallied the second power play goal for the Express finding a loose puck in the crease and poking it home for a 2-0 Express lead. Jonathan Sheardown picked up his second point of the night with an assist on the goal. Jack Lippis had helpers on both first period power play goals.

The Eagles got the first two powerplays of the second period which would have helped their cause to get back into the game. But they struggled to generate much due to the strong play of the Express penalty killers. Jack MacNab at times did good work using his size and strength to protect the puck and kill time off the Surrey powerplays.

Then the power play continued to pile up the goals for the Express. Jordan Schulting's shot from left point was knocked down in front of the net and with both Josh Wildauer and Will Lawerence in front of the net it was the former who swiped it home for his second of the game and a 3-0 Express lead.

In the third period Surrey was trying hardest to jam pucks to the net to find a way to get a puck past Brock Hamm, but he wasn't going to be beat on Thursday. Surrey's dynamic duo of Johnny Wesley and Ty Westgard were kept in check all throughout the contest.

Then the Express pulled away from their opponent. Landon Fuller kept the puck in the Surrey zone and gave the puck to Jack MacNab who cut to the net and roofed a shot past Davidson.

Finally the power play put the finishing touches on the lopsided win. Will Lawerence converted a set up at the lip of the Eagles crease to make it 5-0. Then in the final minute Christian Sanda buried a rebound for the 5th power play goal for the Express.

December 16th, 2011 was the last time the Express scored 5 power play goals in a game. That night the Express defeated the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 8-2. Thursday's performance is still no where close to the franchise record for power play goals in a game which is 8 which was achieved on September 16, 2006 at Langley.

Jordan Schulting finished with 4 assists, that comes one day after committing to UMass Lowell. Josh Wildauder had two goals and an assist and Will Lawerence had one goal and two assists.

The Express will continue their road trip Friday night in Wenatchee. Then head to Trail Saturday night. 

COMETS SHINE IN 3RD PERIOD TO PULL AWAY FROM CAPS

Captain Luca Leone had 1G, 1A - Photo courtesy of Damon James

On Coquitlam Comets night the Express really began to shine as the game was hitting it's twilight in the third period in a 6-3 win over Cowichan Valley. Click here for boxscore

The win for the Express was their second in a row and third in their last six games. This mini two game winning streak is fairly impressive considering the Express schedule the last week that saw them play 6 games in 8 nights and their third game in the last three nights.

The Express did something to start that hasn't been a common occurrence this year and that's get off to a fast start. They opened up an early 5-0 lead in shots.

It wasn't long after that point that the Express opened the scoring. Luca Leone at the side of the Capitals night had his first shot blocked then chipped in the rebound for is 13th of the season.

Less than two minutes later Leone set up the 2-0 Express goal by Will Lawrence who snapped home his 5th of the season. Lawrence has goals in back to back games and three goals in his last six games.

Express mistakes in the second period allowed Cowichan Valley to claw back into the game in the second period.

Lawson Fenton made 28 saves - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Lawson Fenton trying to catch the Capitals on a change tried to quickly move the puck up the ice but fanned on his pass handing it right to Haydn Hopkins who scored a shorthanded goal at 2:41.

Then midway through the period a pass up the middle was picked off by Ayden MacDonald who ripped a wrist shot up over the blocker of Fenton from the slot.

Christian Bosa briefly restored the Express lead finding a loose puck at the side of the Caps net and scoring just his second of the season.

38 seconds later the game was tied again on Max Newton's 21st of the season.

After scoring three goals in the second period, the Caps could have taken control of the game with the Express getting themselves into penalty trouble. But the penalty killing for the Express continues to shine keeping the game tied. The Express had another perfect night on the penalty kill. They've been perfect on the PK in four of their last five games.

Midway through the second period it was the power play then making a difference for the Express.

Brandon Kennedy's point shot was tipped home by Mitch Newsome from the slot for a 4-3 Express lead. Newsome has goals in back to back games.

Will Lawrence finished with two goals - Photo courtesy of Damon James

With the lead in hand the Express settled into shutting down the Caps bids for the equalizer. Alex Ambrosio stole the puck at the Caps line and scored with just over 4 minutes to play for a 5-3 Express lead.

Then Will Lawrence iced the game for good on a late power play taking advantage of a puck handling gaffe by Adam Marcoux and he poked home his second of the game.The power play finished 2 for 4.


At the other end Lawson Fenton finished with 28 saves in the Express crease.

The Express return to action Monday night when they're in Wenatchee for a meeting on Martin Luther King day in the U.S.