EXPRESS CRUISE TO THIRD STRAIGHT WIN

The Express did what they needed to do in the first 40 minutes en route to their third straight win 5-2 over the Surrey Eagles. The win was also the 4th straight win on home ice and 5th straight vs. Surrey this season. Click here for box score

The defending BCHL champions also clinched a playoff spot in the process.

An evenly played first period saw the score even at one after the opening frame. Corey Mackin scored his first of two on the night by ripping a shot over the glove of Christian Short on the powerplay.

Exactly three minutes later a rare Chris Tai mistake on this night resulted in a turnover and Ben Vikich scoring his 14th of the season as Tai scrambled to get back into his net.

Early in the second period the teams traded goals again as Daniell Lange scored just under two minutes in as his wrist shot from the left wing found the net for his 8th of the season. Lange would later chip in with an assist for a two point night to earn second star honours.

Just 60 seconds after that Tyler Harkins scored his first of the season from a sharp angle on Chris Tai to even things up at two.

Friday saw the return of Colton Kerfoot after missing the last two months with an injury. He got on the scoresheet as he and Michael Merulla teamed up to set up Jivan Sidhu joining the rush and he scored beating Short upstairs as he was going down. Michael Merulla finished with a a pair of helpers and was named third star.

Then the Express delivered the knockout blow to the Eagles. Thanks to the top two scorers in the BCHL.

Brett Supinski made Express history by scoring his 40th of the season shorthanded for a 4-2 lead by finishing off a wrap around. It's the first time in Express history that two players have scored 40 goals in a season.

Then 34 seconds later Mackin also set some Express history by scoring his 8th shorthanded goal of the season for a 5-2 lead and his 43rd goal of the season. Mackin breaks the record he shared with Kyle Turris for most shorthanded goals in a season which was originally set back in the 05-06 season.

The Express also surpassed the Victoria Grizzlies for the BCHL lead with 12 shorthanded goals on the season. The Express led the league in that category last season by tying a franchise record by scoring 19 goals when a man down.

The offense had done it's part by the time the third period rolled around. Some chippiness creeped into the game in the final minutes of the third period with the final outcome decided.

The Express have the rest of the weekend off before returning to action Wednesday night when they will host the Chilliwack Chiefs.

SMOKE EATERS @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of the Express 5-2 win over Trail Sunday.



Highlights courtesy of Jorge Parra and Underdog Productions.

BACK TO BACK HOME ICE WINS

The Express won their second straight game and their third straight home game with a 5-2 win over the Trial Smoke Eaters.

It was a similar story for the Express Sunday as it was in their win Friday over Vernon. Solid goaltending and plenty of shots for Chris Tai, a big night from the top line, and good special teams.

Thanvir Bandesha opened the scoring for the Express who took a feed out from behind the net for his first Express goal at 4:17. Daniell Lange and Brendan Gulka drew the assists on the goal.

The main story for the Express especially in the first half of the game was Chris Tai. He turned aside all 18 shots in the first period and kept it up in the second period.

He was given some additional offensive support in the second half of the second period as the top line of Brendan Lamont, Corey Mackin and Brett Supinski took care of the Express attack the rest of the way.

Brendan Lamont gave the Express a 2-0 lead when he took a pass from Supinski and ripped a shot over the glove of goaltender Brett Clark for his 19th of the season. Lamont now has a 5 game point streak with 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in that time.

Then the top line all had a hand in Corey Mackin scoring his 40th of the season as he was able to bang in a loose puck at the side of the Trail net assisted by Supinski and Lamont.

Brett Supinski then got in on the scoring fun by scoring his 39th of the season when his pass intended for Corey Mackin bounced in off the goaltender for a 4-0 Express lead.

The goal extended Supinski's goal streak to eight games with 13 goals and 8 assists in that time. He now has points in 19 of his last 20 outings with 22 goals and 20 assists for 42 points in that time.

Corey Mackin then capped off a big afternoon for the top line by wiring home his 2nd of the game on the power play in the third period for a 5-0 Express lead. The Express went two for 7 on the power play. On the other side of the special teams the Express had a second consecutive perfect outing on the penalty kill shutting down all 5 Trail advantages.

Mackin now has 83 points on the season. He has 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points during a 5 game point streak. The line of Lamont, Mackin and Supinski combined for 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points.

Chris Tai had his bid for his first shutout of the season spoiled with two Trail goals just over three minutes apart by Jake Lucchini and Jordan Passmore. Those would be the lone blemishes on a very solid night for Tai who finished with 39 saves.

Just one game for the Express next week who host Surrey on Friday night.

VIPERS @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Video highlights of the Express 5-4 win over the Vernon Vipers Friday night.

Highlights courtesy of Jorge Parra and Underdog Productions.

EXPRESS SURVIVE VIPERS BITE

Brett Supinski had his second consecutive hat-trick and Chris Tai finished with 40 saves as the Express knocked off the Vernon Vipers 5-4 in the second meeting in a week between the two teams. Click here for boxscore

Vernon looked to pick up right where they left off when they knocked off the Express last Saturday when they fired 59 shots. The first period five minutes looked similar as they jumped on Coquitlam. Colton McCarthy scoring on a wrap around and Thomas Aldworth with a wrist shot from the left wing got the Vipers off on the right foot in the first five minutes.

As quickly as the Vipers started, the Express responded in kind. Brett Supinski started his big night by getting the Express on the board just 32 seconds after Aldworth's goal by snapping a quick shot through the legs of Danny Todosychuk. That was followed just over five minutes later on a goal by Brendan Lamont with a wrist shot over Todosychuk's glove.

 The top line of Corey Mackin, Brett Supinski and Brendan Lamont all had a hand in the first two Express goals.

Penalty killing had been taking it's lumps for the Express in recent outings. But it had a big impact on helping the Express get the two points. They killed off all 5 Vernon power plays. Their best work came in the first period on a 51 second Vernon 5 on 3. And two Vernon power plays in the third period with the Express protecting the lead.

As the second period began, Chris Tai's best work began to come to the forefront. The ice would become very heavily shifted towards the Express net in the final two periods but Tai rose to the challenge. He turned aside 20 of 21 Vernon shots in the middle period. The only goal to beat him in the second was Liam Finlay's first of two on the night.

Two goals for the Express in the final minutes of the second period gave them a 4-3 lead heading to the third period. Jackson Cressey finished off a couple of great passes by Brett Supinski and Corey Mackin for a power play goal to tie the game at three. Then in the final minute of the period Corey Mackin put the puck on a tee for Supinski who bombed away for his second of the night.  That goal gave BCHL scoring leader Corey Mackin 80 points on the season. He finished the night with a season high five assists which also ties an Express franchise record for assists in a game. Supinski hit the 70 point mark with his late second period goal. They now have 81 and 71 points respectively.

Supinski then completed his second consecutive hat-trick and third three goal game of the season with a shot through the legs of Todosychuk at 6:30 of the third period. Supinski finished with three goals and two assists.  He now has a seven game goal streak with twelve goals and five assists for seventeen points. He has points in 18 of his last 19 games.

Liam Finlay made things interesting with his second of the night with just over three to go, but they couldn't puck another puck past Chris Tai. The Express net minder turned aside 31 of 33 Vernon shots in the final two periods to earn the win.

 Up next the Express host the Trail Smoke Eaters Sunday afternoon.

FRITZ TO QUNNIPIAC

The Coquitlam Express Junior A hockey club are proud to announce defenceman Daniel Fritz has committed to Qunnipiac University for 2015.

6’1’ 195 lb, 19 year old native of Harwood MD, is in his first season in the BCHL. He's been a very steady presence at both ends of the rink. This season he has 8 goals and 25 assists for 33 points in 45 games. His point production this season is among the top 10 for BCHL defencemen.

"We are very happy and proud of Daniel. He has been an offensive threat for us all season and been solid defensively." - Express Head Coach and General Manager Barry Wolff.

The Bobcats will be very happy with him both as a player and a person. "I would like to thank all the people that supported me in my hockey career so far, expecially my parents and the Coquitlam Express".- Daniel Fritz

The Quinnipiac Bobcats play in the ECAC, the school is located in Hamden CT.
He will be teammates next season with former members of the Express Bo and Canon Pieper who are both in their first year at Quinnipiac.

EXPRESS KINGS HIGHLIGHTS

Here's the highlights of the Express 5-3 win over Powell River Friday.

Highlights courtesy of Jorge Parra and Underdog Productions.