EXPRESS AND EAGLES BURN OUT THE GOAL LIGHTS

There will be new goal lights required before the Express next home game vs. Prince George after they won a goal filled affair with the Surrey Eagles 9-6.

The Express exploded out of the gates. Joey Santucci had what would turn out to be a memorable sequence for the 19 year old forward who got his night started by opening the scoring at 3:16 snapping home a pass from behind the net.

48 seconds later Canon Pieper was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. He made no mistake beating Devon Fordyce with a deke to the forehand.

Then the Santucci show resumed. He scored his second of the period just 24 seconds later to make it 3-0. Then 9 seconds after that Santucci capped off his hat-trick to give the Express a 4-0 lead.

At the end of it the Express had scored 4 times in a span of 1:21 with Santucci scoring 3 of his goals in the same 1:21 span. I don't have any official records, but it may have been the fastest hat-trick recorded by an Express player in franchise history.

Up 4 less than 5 minutes into the game, the Express appeared to be in cruise control.

Before the period was done the Eagles brought the Express back down to earth somewhat.

Braeden Russell got the Eagles on the board just 1:19 after Santucci's 3rd of the night.

Then the Eagles pulled within one on goals by Joseph Drapluk and Russell's second of the game 1:35 apart late in the period and it was 4-3 after 20.

Surrey completed their come back just over two minutes into the second period as Russell completed his hat-trick swatting home a loose puck at the side of the Express net.

Then the Express went back on the attack.

Adam Rockwood re-stored the Express lead powering the puck to the net and sliding it home for his 7th of the season and 3rd goal in his last 4 games.

1:25 later Marc Biega broke out on a 2 on 1 with Joey Santucci, and the defenceman decided to keep the puck instead of trying to set up Santucci for his 4th of the game. It turned out to be the right decision as Biega snapped it past Fordyce.

Then on the power play Ryan Rosenthal from the high slot re-directed a Marc Biega point shot to put the Express up 7-4.

These teams were filling the net after two periods. Why stop in the third?

Nathan Renouf picked his his 4th point of the night scoring at the side of the net to go with his 3 assists at 1:40.

Jackson Cressy responded for the Express 2:20 later banging home the rebound of a Jace Hennig shot.

The teams finally settled down and took a 14 minute break from scoring goals until Canon Pieper scored his second of the game into an empty night while the Express were shorthanded. It's their 10th shorthanded goal this season. Canon now his 3 of them. And the Express as a team have now scored 4 of their shorthanded goals vs. the Surrey Eagles this season.

Nic Pierog scored a powerplay goal with 25 seconds left in the third period. Then finally the clock had run out on this high scoring affair to put an end to a wild night.

With the win the Express re-store a 3 point lead on Surrey for 3rd place in the Mainland division. They will now begin to use up their 3 games in hand on the Eagles with a trip to the Island for games in Alberni Valley Saturday and Nanaimo Sunday. 

EAGLES TAKE FIRST OF HOME AND HOME

Wednesday night we learned that a lot can happen in a span of 12 seconds. That's how quickly Surrey scored two goals in the opening minute of the third period en route to a 7-5 win in the first of a home and home series.

Those goals would open up a 4 goal Surrey lead that the Express just couldn't over come.

Coming off their two most impressive wins of the season last weekend vs. Penticton, the Express were looking to build off them in this key pair of games with their division rival.

The Eagles got the jump on the Express just over 5 minutes into the game as Nathan Renouf scored on a set up from his twin brother Jonah off a won face-off in the Express zone.

5 minutes later the Express pulled even as Corey Mackin showed some great hands coming out of the corner then cutting in front of the net and slid the puck past Devon Fordyce.

Late in the period the Eagles re-stored their lead just after an Express power play had expired.

Brian Drapluk came out of the penalty box and bumped Adam Rockwood off the puck inside the Eagles blue line which set up a 2 on 1 the other way and Danton Heinen set up Brian's twin brother Joseph who snapped the puck past Gordie Defiel.

Just 1:38 later the Eagles struck again. This time it was the Renouf brothers at it again along with line mate Braeden Russell who teamed up deep in the Express zone and set up Jonah who scored give the Eagles a 3-1 lead after 1 period.

Adam Rockwood cut the Eagles lead back down to one when he took a pass at a tough angle in front of the Eagles net and managed to find a way to flip the puck over Fordyce.

Again the Eagles had a response, late in the second period Danton Heinen and Cameron Marks raced after the puck in the Express zone. Heinen was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. On the free pass, Heinen shaded to his right and snapped a shot low to the stick side past Defiel with just 1:41 remaining in the second period.

The opening 32 seconds of the third period was a moment in time the Express would like to forget.

First they coughed up the puck inside the blue line and it quickly resulted in Joseph Drapluk's second of the game. Then 12 seconds later Nathan Renouf scored his second of the game to quickly open up a 6-2 Surrey lead.

At this point a come back was looking like a daunting task for the Express.

Daniel Lange cut the lead back down to 3 at 8:53.

Then on the power play Ryan Rosenthal powered the puck to the net and scored his 16th of the season pulling back into a tie for the team lead in goals with Corey Mackin.

Then Zach Hodder scored the third Express goal in just over 5 minutes off the rush and suddenly it was back to a one goal game with just over 6 to go.

That would be as close as the Express would come as Heinen capped off his 4 point night by scoring his second of the game into an empty net with 30 seconds to go to secure the Eagles win.

The win pulled Surrey within one point of the Express for third place in the Mainland division standings. But the Express still have three games in hand on Surrey. The second of the home and home will go Friday night in Coquitlam.

ROSENTHAL COMMITS TO NORTHEASTERN

Coquitlam Express captain Ryan Rosenthal has committed to Northeastern University for the fall of 2014.

The Montvale New Jersey native is currently tied for the team lead in goals with 15 and is 2nd in team scoring with 29 points this season. His 3 shorthanded goals are currently tied for the BCHL lead with Surrey's Nic Pierog. He was the BCHL player of the week for the week ending October 6th following a 9 point (3G, 6A) weekend in 3 games.

Rosenthal came to the Express this season after attending the University of Vermont last season where he dressed for 6 games registering 2 points.

This is the second scholarship secured for an Express player this season after forward Cody Boyd committed to Army recently.

The Express now have 6 players on their roster with NCAA commitments. 

DEFIEL PLAYER OF THR WEEK

Coquitlam Express goalie Gordie Defiel has been named the BCHL Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 23, the league announced Monday.

Defiel backed the Express to a pair of wins in a home-and-home set against the Penticton Vees.

The native of Stillwater, Minn. turned aside all but one shot both nights in posting a 0.95 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage.

The 6-foot, 181-pound 20-year-old was named 1st Star in a 3-1 win on home ice before making 28 saves a 2-1 double-overtime victory in Penticton.

Honourable mentions this week:

Langley Rivermen G Brock Crossthwaite - 2W, SO 2nd Star, 3rd Star, .969 sv%, 0.98 GAA

Langley Rivermen F Gage Torrel - 1G, 3A, 1st Star, OT GWG

Coquitlam Express F Bo Pieper - 1G, 2A, 1st Star, OT GWG

Prince George Spruce Kings F Chad Staley - 2G, 3A, 1st Star, two GWGs

West Kelowna Warriors G Andy Desautels - W, T, two 2nd Stars, .940 sv%, 1.89 GAA

Powell River Kings F Jarid Lukosevicius - 2G, 1A, two 1st Star, GWG

EXPRESS SWEEP HOME AND HOME WITH VEES

4 points up for grabs, and 4 points grabbed by the Coquitlam Express in their home and home series with the Penticton Vees.

The Express took the opener in Coquitlam Friday 3-1. Then took the return engagement in the South Okanagan Events Centre 2-1 in overtime Saturday.

John Saunders scored the only goal of the first period as his point shot got past Hunter Miska.

Miska came up with a great save in the first period turning aside a backhand re-direction by Ryan Rosenthal who was set up by Adam Rockwood.

The Express structure all night long never really allowed the Vees to generate many quality scoring chances in the two games this weekend.

Penticton had an edge in play in the second period outshooting the Express 12-3. Goaltender Gordie Defiel was having a strong game in the Express crease for a second night in a row. Plus he had a lot of help from his team in front of him clearing pucks away from danger.

Still holding on to the 1-0 lead going into the third period, the Express knew the Vees would come with a push looking for the equalizer. Their best chance early in the period came when Travis Blanliel was set up on a feed but Defiel came to his left and got his pad down for his second best save of the night.

The Vees finally tied it when former Express AP Anthony Conti deflected a point shot past Defiel with just over 4 minutes to go.

Nothing was decided after 60 minutes and the Express had collected 3 out of a possible 4 points vs. the Vees this weekend.

The game was still looking for a hero after 65 minutes of hockey.

In the second overtime the Vees had their chances to win it.

First Cody DePourcq found himself all alone in front of Defiel with all kinds of time. The diminutive forward skated across the crease and tried to roof the puck over the sprawled out Express netminder. But Defiel stayed with him and in pure desperation made a spectacular save stacking the pads.

Seconds later the Vees fired the puck towards the net from the point, it changed directions and found a way to trickle past Defiel. But the goal was immediately waved off when it was ruled Defiel was contacted in the crease.

Those would be the Vees best chances to win the game and they wouldn't get another.

With the puck at the Express blueline they were able to poke it free giving Bo Pieper a breakaway. He busted his tail to the Vee net and unleashed a shot only Bo Pieper can with a rocket over the glove of Hunter Miska giving the Express the dramatic overtime win.

Leading up to the games this weekend vs. the Vees, the Express had spent a lot of time working on their defensive part of the game. After the results this weekend and how they earned them, it should go a long way in the development of that aspect of the Express game this season.

Next week will be a busy one for the Express with four games in 5 nights. They have a home and home with the Surrey Eagles starting Wednesday in Surrey. Then after the return match Friday in Coquitlam, the Express are off to the island for games in Port Alberni and Nanaimo.

COQUITLAM COMETS INTERVIEWS

During the first and second intermissions last night I had a chance to speak with two former Coqutilam Comets who were in attendance.

In the first I spoke with the original owner of the Comets and guest of honor last night Sandy Michie.

In the second intermission I spoke with former Comets player Don Taylor.

COMETS SHINE IN WIN OVER THE VEES

It was a night to remember with the honoring of the original junior hockey team in Coquitlam the Comets. They were a Junior B team from the 60's through the 70's. Then played one season in the BCHL in 1980-81.

On this night it was made even more memorable after the best performance of the season in a 3-1 win over the Penticton Vees.

Wearing the same beautiful red jerseys the Comets wore 30 plus years ago, the home team knew they needed to play a strong game for the full 60 minutes in order to come away victorious.

That's exactly what they did on this night.

Penticton opened the scoring when Brendan Lamont from the corner put a pass on the tape of Cody DePourcq who re-directed the pass between the pads of Gordie Defiel.

6 minutes into the second period the Comets tied it. Adam Rockwood won the face-off in the Vees zone, Marc Biega teed up a one timer for Zach Hodder whose shot went wide but the rebound off the end boards bounced to Adam Rockwood who scored his 5th goal of the season and 1st on home ice this season.

Through 40 minutes the Comets were playing a strong team game and put themselves in a position to win it in the third.

They opened the final frame killing off a penalty to defenceman Matthew Berry-Lamontagna.

Then moments later on the power play the Comets took their first lead when captain Ryan Rosenthal scored from a shot from the left circle that got past Oliveir Mantha. That goal would be the catalyst for a strong final period for the captain. He had a number of other quality scoring chances to put the game away. He finally did in the final minute of the third period scoring into an empty net.

The Comets needed a strong defensive game all night in order to come away with the win. That's exactly what they did. They were ready to play right from the start. They allowed very few quality scoring chances for the Vees. Gordie Defiel was very steady in the Express crease turning aside 24 of 25 Vees shots for the win. This is a win that could help this team going forward. They did plenty of good things all night they could learn from that could help this team going forward when it comes to finding a way to win on a consistent basis like it did early in the season.

The re-match goes Saturday night in Penticton at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

There were plenty of Comets alumni in attendance. And it was great to see the players of today make the players of yesteryear feel proud with such a strong game.