KERFOOT BCHL'S MOST SPORTMANLIKE PLAYER

Photo courtesy of Damon James

Coquitlam Express forward Colton Kerfoot (96) has been named the BCHL's Most Sportsmanlike player (Bob Fenton trophy) for the 2015-16 season. Kerfoot joins his older brother Alexander who also won the award while playing for the Express during the 2011-12 season. Click here to see the full list of BCHL award winners

Kerfoot, a West Vancouver native is in his second season with the Express. He's dressed in all 56 games this season. He leads the team in scoring with 76 points and is 8th in BCHL scoring. His 53 assists leads the Express and is the 3rd highest total in t
he BCHL this season. His 23 goals is 3rd on the Express this season. He's put up all these numbers while taking just 12 minutes in penalties.

In two seasons with the Express Kerfoot has tallied 34 goals and 73 assists for 107 points in 99 career games.

Aside from the Kerfoot brothers, the other Express player to win the BCHL's Most Sportsmanlike award is Brock Bradford who won it in the 2003-04 season.

Next season Colton will join his older brother Alexander at Harvard University.

Congratulations Colton.

KERFOOT NOMINATED FOR MOST SPORTMANLIKE PLAYER

Photo courtesy of Damon James

Coquitlam Express forward Colton Kerfoot (96) has been nominated for the BCHL's Most Sportsmanlike award (Bob Fenton trophy). Click here to see all the BCHL award nominees

The other nominees are Taro Hirose of Salmon Arm and Chris Schutz of Alberni Valley.

Kerfoot, a West Vancouver native is in his second season with the Express. He's dressed in all 56 games this season. He leads the team in scoring with 76 points and is 8th in BCHL scoring. His 53 assists leads the Express and is the 3rd highest total in the BCHL this season. His 23 goals is 3rd on the Express this season. He's put up all these numbers while taking just 12 minutes in penalties.

In two seasons with the Express Kerfoot has tallied 34 goals and 73 assists for 107 points in 99 career games.

Colton's older brother Alexander won the BCHL's most sportsmanlike award during the 2011-12 season with the Express.

Next season Colton will join his older brother Alexander at Harvard University. 

KAWAGUCHI'S 2ND HAT-TRICK PACES CHIEFS WIN OVER EXPRESS

Jordan Kawaguchi scored a hat-trick - Photo courtesy of Damon James.

Jordan Kawaguchi potted his second hat-trick this season vs. the Express and fourth overall this year in a 6-1 Chiefs win over the Express. Click here for boxscore

Kawaguchi didn't waste time getting his big night started opening the scoring just 54 seconds into the game. It was the second straight meeting that Chilliwack scored in the opening minute. Two weeks ago it was Jake Smith opening the scoring 49 seconds into Chilliwack's 9-1 win.

The Express didn't allow the fast Chiefs start put a wrench into their plans into getting into the game right away.

Coquitlam responded with chances by Blake Hayward on a backhand, Mat Michie putting a loose puck off the post and a clean look from the slot for Nic Coltura. Coltura returned to the Express lineup after missing the last 3 plus months and 32 games with an injury. Coltura immediately gave the Express blueline a boost with his ability to quickly move the puck at both ends.

Taylor Green - Photo courtesy of Damon James.

The first period finished with the Express outshooting Chilliwack 9-7.

Chilliwack started to turn their game in their favour in the second period. They started working the puck in the Express zone which eventually led to chances. Darien Craighead gave Chilliwack a 2-0 lead after a prolonged shift in the Express zone.

Needing a spark to get back in the game, the Express got it from a recently unlikely source. Jackson Cressey scored just nine seconds into a power play to cut the Chiefs lead to 2-1.

Prior to the goal the Express power play was 0 for their last 28 and 1 for their last 33.

In his torment of the Express the last two years, Jordan Kawaguchi has found a way to score big goals at key times. Friday was no different. He scored his second of the night just 28 seconds after Cressey's power play goal to kill any momentum the Express could have built off it.

4:34 later Kawaguchi completed his hat-trick coming off the bench, picking up the puck behind the net, cutting into the slot to beat Lawson Fenton for his 38th of the season and a 4-1 Chiefs lead.

Dating back to the start of last season Kawaguchi has 18 goals in his last 18 games regular season and playoffs.

The third period the Express used some fight to try and get physical with the Chiefs. Chilliwack took the Express lumps and just kept playing. Kawaguchi picked up his fourth point of the night setting up Jesse Lansdell's 5-1 goal with a delayed penalty in effect for a hit delivered on Kawaguchi.

Ryan Coghlan & Linden Hora - Photo courtesy of Damon James.

Zach Guittari rounded out the scoring beating Lawson Fenton with a wrist shot for a power play goal after the Express cleared the puck away from the goal crease.

Chilliwack was 1 for 3 on the power play while the Express were 1 for 4.

Matt Esposito turned aside 18 of 19 Express shots to get the win.

The win improved Chilliwack to 5-0 vs. the Express this season.

Chilliwack remained three points up on Wenatchee for first place in the Mainland division after the Wild defeated Victoria 2-1. The Express will play the Mainland division winner in the first round of the playoffs in two weeks.

Saturday the Express play host to the Langley Rivermen. They will wrap up the regular season with a home and home with Chilliwack next weekend.

EXPRESS CHOP DOWN SPRUCE KINGS

Austin McIlMurray scored twice and Luca Leone had one goal and one assist as the Express knocked off Prince George 4-1. Click here for boxscore

Leone returned to the lineup after missing the last 14 games with an injury. His return was a welcome addition to a team that has battled through a rash of injuries in recent w
eeks.

It didn't take long for Leone's return to make a positive impact for the Express. He found himself with room on the wing in the Spruce Kings zone and he snapped a shot past Liam McCloskey just 1:01 into the game.

That goal sparked the Express for the first half of the first period, but the tables turned as the Spruce Kings ramped their game up looking for the equalizer but were turned away by Lawson Fenton.

This game had it's moments of rough stuff throughout the contest. Whether it was Austin McIlMurray and Adam Brunett coming together and the former being punched in the face by the latter.

Then in the second period McIlMurray made his mark on the scoresheet where he's used to in the offensive department. Blake Hayward set up McIlMurray who scored off the rush for a 2-0 Express lead.

Owen Stout gave the Express some insurance in the final minute of the second period scoring with a wrist shot from the left wing for a 3-0 Express lead through two periods.

Lawson Fenton saved his best work in the Express crease for the third period with 14 saves on 15 shots. The only goal to beat him was a one timer off the stick of Kyle Johnson. Fenton made 28 saves for his 12th win of the season.

The Express killed off all four Prince George powerplays with three of them in the third period.

Austin McIlMurray completed the scoring into an empty net but not before he, Colton Kerfoot and Luca Leone passed the puck around before it was tapped into the empty net.

The Express have four games left in their regular season with three of them vs. the Chilliwack Chiefs starting Friday in Coquitlam. 

SILVERBACKS VICTORIOUS ON COMETS NIGHT

Lawson Fenton faced 38 shots - Photo courtesy of Damon James

For a second time the Express honored the history of junior hockey in Coquitlam with a Coquitlam Comets night.

The visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks didn't play along by defeating the Comets 6-2. Click here for boxscore

The Express wore their vintage red Comets jerseys to pay tribute to the junior team that played in Coquitlam from the late 60's to the early 80's. Original owner Sandy Michie was in attendance on his 84th birthday.





Salmon Arm started fast right from the opening face-off, and getting plenty of pucks sent towards Comets goaltender Lawson Fenton.

Kodi Schwarz opened the scoring beating Fenton with a screen shot from the right point just over two minutes into the game.

Two minutes later Mitch Skapski scored for a 2-0 Silverbacks lead.

Colton Kerfoot scored in second period - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Salmon Arm kept the pedal to the floor peppering Lawson Fenton. Marcus Mitchell scored his first of the night on a one timer midway through the first period.

At one point the Silverbacks had a 16-2 advantage in shots. And it was looking like it might be a repeat performance of the first meeting between the two teams in September when Salmon Arm fired 62 shots in a 6-0 Silverbacks win.

The Comets did their best to try and battle back in the game, but when you're missing six regulars it makes it difficult.

Owen Stout got the Comets on the board beating Angus Redmond up high with a quick shot from the boards.

Then late in the first the Comets had a chance to cut into the Silverbacks lead even more with a two man advantage for nearly two minutes. The Comets peppered Angus Redmond with shots but it was a 3-1 Silverbacks lead after the first period. The first period struggles on the power play would be a sign of things to come for the Comets.

In the second period the Comets began to turn the game in their favour. They were getting more pucks on the net. But they had to face a new goaltender in Brandon Kegler who came out to start the second period.

Colton Kerfoot pulled the Comets within one taking a pass out from behind the net and blasting it past Kegler.

Taylor Green - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Comets had numerous chances to pull even with three second period powerplays but Salmon Arm shut them down at every turn. Coquitlam finished zero for five on the power play.

Seven minutes into the third Marcus Mitchell added his second of the night taking pass down low and beating Fenton with a sharp angle shot. Just over two minutes later Salmon Arm had re-stored their three goal lead on a goal by Taro Hirose who was set up at the side of the Comets net.

Zach Erhardt rounded out the scoring in the final minute with his first BCHL goal in his first game on the power play.

Following the 16-2 start in shots for Salmon Arm, the Comets battled back the rest of the way outshooting Salmon Arm the rest of the way 36-22 to finish the night even with Salmon Arm at 38 apiece.

The loss for the Comets was their 7th in their last 8 games. They continue their 5 game home stand Sunday afternoon vs. Prince George.

EXPRESS @ EAGLES HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the Express 7-3 Family Day win in Surrey Monday.

Highlights courtesy of Jorge Parra and Underdog Productions. 

CHIEFS WITH A 9 SPOT VS. EXPRESS

Express bench looks on  - Photo courtesy of Garrett James

Vimal Sukumaran tallied his third hat-trick of the season and was among three Chiefs players with a four point night in a 9-1 win over the Express. Click here for boxscore

Jack Surowiec - Photo courtesy of Garrett James

Chilliwack scored early, often and right through to the end.

It started in the opening minute of the first period with Jake Smith opening the scoring on a scramble play.

Then Vimal Sukumaran started his big night with his first two of the night on a set up from the slot and scoring alone at the side of the Express net for a 3-0 Chiefs after the first period.

The Express had their chances but weren't able to finish when it came time to bury the puck. Jackson Cressey was robbed by the pad of Aiden Pelino after the Express captain took a drop pass from Austin McIlMurray. Then McIlMurray had a breakaway but put his backhand out of play.

Blake Hayward - Photo courtesy of Garrett James

Cressey had more chances for the Express on a pair of second period powerplays but was unable to bury them either.

Sukumaran completed his third hat-trick of the season and scored his 30th of the year on a breakaway goal after he blocked an Express shot at the Chiefs blueline. Sukumaran finished with three goals and one assist.

Dennis Cholowski made it 5-0 through two periods.

The beat went on for Chilliwack in the third period, Zach Guitarri, Jordan Kawaguchi, Taylor Allan and Kohen Olischefski added third period goals. All told the Chiefs struck for 9 goals on 30 shots. Kawaguchi and Olischefski had one goal and three assists.

Keegan Jones - Photo courtesy of Garrett James

Austin McIlMurray scored the lone Express goal on the night in the third period.

Aiden Pelino battled through a few collisions with Express players and injury to turn aside 19 of 20 shots to post the win.

Chilliwack improved to 4-0 vs. the Express this season.

The Express return to action Monday afternoon on Family day in Surrey.