LEONE EXPRESS CAPTAIN FOR 2016-17 SEASON

Luca Leone (24) will serve as captain in 16-17 - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Coquitlam Express are pleased to announce that forward Luca Leone has been named the captain for the 2016-17 season.

Leone (96) will be a twenty year old this season and is entering his third season with the Express during the 2016-17 campaign. In 63 career BCHL games all with the Express the Vancouver native has 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points. In 15-16 in 34 games Leone posted 6 goals and 14 assists for 20 points.

In addition to his time in the BCHL, Leone has 70 career WHL games with the Vancouver Giants and Swift Current Broncos.

Five other players will serve as assistant captains this season. Twenty year old forward Cam Bertsch will serve as an alternate captain for all games for the Express this season. Domenic Masellis and Keegan Jones will serve as alternates when the Express wear their black uniforms. Blake Hayward and Alex Ambrosio will serve as alternates when the Express wear their whites.

Coquitlam Express Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff says "We are very proud of this leadership group and hope that they can lead us toward a successful 2016-17 BCHL."

The Express will kick off their 15th BCHL season Friday September 9th in Surrey.

KAILA TRADED TO BULLDOGS

 Wednesday the Express traded defenseman Malik Kaila (96) to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs for future considerations. 

The Express had acquired the rights to Malik earlier on the off-season for future considerations on June 22, 2016 from the Merritt Centennials. 

Kaila will be entering his 20 year old season during the 2016-17 BCHL campaign. 

The Express will open their 2016-17 season Friday September 9th in Surrey. 

EXPRESS WIN EXHIBITION FINALE

Jake Toor scored twice - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Express wrapped up their exhibition schedule with a 5-2 win in Port Coquitlam over the Surrey Eagles.

Sam Kozlowski (9) - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Goaltender Lawson Fenton went the distance for the Express and had to come up with a number of saves in the opening minutes of the game thanks to a pair of Surrey powerplays.

Jake Toor opened the scoring for the Express 8:38 into the first period set up by Cam Bertsch.

The Eagles outshot the Express 12-6, but the hosts came out of the opening 20 minutes with a 1-0 lead.

Sam Kozlowski extended the Express lead three minutes into the second period converting a set up from Owen Stout and sliding it past Daniel Davidson.

Davidson played half the game for the Eagles allowing two goals on 12 shots.

Jackson Ross got the Eagles on the board midway through the second period by firing a screened point shot past Lawson Fenton.

Blake Hayward - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Back to back Surrey penalites just 8 seconds apart gave the Express a 5 on 3 for two minutes, but despite plenty of pressure the Express couldn't extend their lead.

Blake Hayward had one of the best scoring chances of the game, but somehow couldn't bang home a loose puck in front of the net. Hayward would make amends however in the dying seconds of the second period by snapping home a shot from the left wing assisted by Mitch Newsome and Owen Stout.

Jake Toor added his second of the net converting a pass from behind the net from Brett Didyk for a 4-1 Express lead.

Owen Stout - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The teams traded goals in the final minutes of the game with Mitchell Williams scoring for Surrey with the goalie pulled, then Luca Leone hit the empty net for an unassisted marker just over a minute later to round out the scoring.

Lawson Fenton finished with 27 saves on 29 Eagles shots.

In addition to Jake Toor's two goals, Owen Stout had a pair of assists.

The Express and Eagles will get re-acquainted when the season begins for real next Friday at the South Surrey Arena.

RIVERMEN VICTORIOUS IN EXHIBITION OPENER

Kolby Matthews faced 36 shots - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The 2016 BCHL exhibition kicked off Wednesday night. The Express played host to the Langley Rivermen and it was the visitors coming away with a 5-2 win.

B. Szabados & M. Sande
Photo courtesy of Damon James

Veterans Cam Bertsch and Owen Stout had some of the better scoring chances for the Express in the first period with Bertsch getting stopped on a bang bang play by Bo Didur. Then Owen Stout hit the post on a breakaway.

Langley had the only goal of the first period and the Rivermen outshot the Express 9-8.

The visitors in the first half of the second period looked to expand their lead, but Express netminder Kolby Matthews made some of his best saves of the game on a 2 on 1, a rebound chance coming to his left and a deflection.

Veteran Bo Didur got the start for Langley and was perfect in his 30 minutes of action.

12 minutes into the second period Angus Crookshank found a loose puck and scored for a 2-0 Rivermen lead.

Just under two minutes later the Express hit the scoreboard on a power play goal by Brady Szabados re-directing a Michael Sande point shot.

Arsh Bains - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Rivermen quickly responded to re-store their two goal lead and it was 3-1 through two periods.

Brendan Prappas midway through the third period again pulled the Express within one on a breakaway goal beating Zakery Myrowich.

Satchel Clendennin and Brendan Budy rounded out the scoring for the Rivermen who outshot the Express 36-25.

The Express were 1 for 5 on the power play while Langley went 1 for 3.

Cam Bertsch, Blake Hayward, Owen Stout and Alex Ambrosio were the returning veterans in their lineup in the exhibition opener.

The teams will meet again Thursday night at the Langley Sportsplex. 

2016 EXPRESS EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

The Express will open their training camp for the 2016-17 season Monday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.

Here's their full exhibition schedule leading up to the start of the regular season September 9th in Surrey.

Wednesday Aug. 24 home vs. Langley Rivermen (Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre) 7pm

Thursday Aug. 25 @ Langley Rivermen (Langley Sportsplex) 7pm

Friday and Saturday Aug. 26 & 27 @ Wenatchee Wild

Tuesday Aug. 30 @ Chilliwack Chiefs (Game played in Hope)

Friday Sep. 2 vs. Surrey (Port Coquitlam Rec. Centre)

WOLFF NAMED HEAD COACH FOR TEAM CANADA WEST

Coquitlam Express Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff is going back to the World Junior A Challenge. This time around he will guide Team Canada West as the Head Coach.

The 2016 World Junior A Challenge will be played in Bonnyville, Alberta from December 11th-17th.



This will be the third time that Wolff will serve on the coaching staff for Team Canada West. But this will be the first time he will be the Head Coach.

He served as an assistant coach in 2010 and at last years event helping Team Canada West win the gold medal. Barry also served as a guest coach and talent evaluator in preparation leading up to the 2014 World Junior A Challenge for Team Canada West. 

“It is a great honor to be selected as the Head Coach of Team Canada West and I look forward to working with the elite level players and a great staff, said Barry Wolff. I am excited for this opportunity to represent Canada again at the World Junior A Challenge.”

Click here for the full press release from the CJHL

EXPRESS 2016-17 SCHEDULE

Getting caught up on the Express upcoming schedule for the 2016-17 season.

Changes to the BCHL website recently prevent seeing the full schedule on one web page.

Links to each month.

September, October, November, December, January, February

Similar to last year the Express will spend the month of September on the road. It will start with a pair of games September 9th and 10th in Surrey and Langley. Then visits to Vernon and Salmon Arm.

The showcase will follow in Chilliwack with the Express being the home team on Thursday September 22nd vs. the defending RBC cup champion West Kelowna Warriors at 1pm. Then two days later the Express will play in the secondary rink at 3pm as the road team vs. the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. That game is one of only two total games at the showcase to be played in the secondary arena.

The Express will have a full home and home with West Kelowna and Alberni Valley this season in addition to the two showcase meetings.

The following weekend will see the Express head to the Island for a three game swing in Victoria, Nanaimo and Alberni Valley. That will complete the first 10 games of the season before the Express will play their home opener Friday October 7th vs. the Langley Rivermen in the first of a home and home. That will be followed by a visit next Thursday to Surrey. All told the Express will play 11 of their first 12 games away from the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.

That will be followed by a 5 game home stand which includes the only regular season visit from the RBC cup champion West Kelowna Warriors on Wednesday October 19th.

Following the home stand the Express head to Prince George for two visits up north this season. They will play a pair of games October 28th and 29th. And they will have a single visit Friday November 25th. Like last year there will be a quick turnaround for the Express after a game in Prince George to come back to the Mainland for a home game the next night vs. Vernon.

Other notes from the schedule include:

The Express will play a total of 34 of their 58 games against Mainland division opponents. 7 each vs. Surrey, Langley, Chilliwack, Wenatchee and 6 vs. Prince George.

They will play 4 road and 3 home vs. Chilliwack and Langley. And 4 home and 3 road vs. Surrey and Wenatchee. And 6 vs. Prince George three home and away.

January shapes up to be a very busy month with a total of 14 games (7 home, 7 away) played in 25 nights from the 4th to
the 28th.

Among those 14 games it will include back to back weekends with three games on three consecutive days. That includes a trip to Powell River and Cowichan Valley. As January draws to a close the Express will play a 4 game home stand.

They will open February with a pair of games in the interior vs. Trail and West Kelowna. Those two games will be last significant travel the Express will have after January 16th in Wenatchee. To conclude the regular season the Express will finish with a four game home stand concluding February 24th vs. Prince George.