RIVERMEN @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights from Wednesday's 3-3 tie with Langley.

EXPRESS FIGHT LANGLEY TO A TIE

Jason Fortier made his Express coaching debut
Photo courtesy of Garrett James

It's been a busy 72 hours for the Express organization that started with making a coaching change announcing Jason Fortier took over as the Express bench boss for Barry Wolff on Monday.



The new Express had coach had little time to get acclimated with his new team before coaching his first game.

Fortier met with the players Monday, ran a practice Tuesday and was behind the Express bench Wednesday night.

He commented on wanting the Express to use their speed and try to be more of a puck possession team. Early on some of those tweeks were showing in the Express game. And it led to some odd man rushes.

One of those chances opened the scoring for the Express as Sam Kozlowski came down the right wing an snapped a shot past Chad Kromar to open the scoring.

E. Linell scored a pair of power play goals - Photo courtesy of Garrett James

That goal was the spring board to give the Express some confidence to try to create more chances, but Chad Kromar held the Express to just one goal in the period.

Rivermen captain Brendan Body pulled the visitors even in the final minute of the first period. He crept in from the left side and took a back door pass and snapped a shot past Brock Hamm.

Nik Ponak gave Langley their only lead of the night just 37 seconds into the second period.

Jason Fortier has done plenty of work in his short time as the Express Head Coach to implement his systems. That includes the power play. Some quick passes and puck movement were notable from the Express with the man advantage Wednesday.

It was a goal off the rush however that even things up for the Express on the power play. Alex Ambrosio raced into the Langley zone on the right wing. He caught a break as a Rivermen defender lost his footing allowing the Express captain to gain entry into the zone. He then put a backhand pass onto the tape of Eric Linell who tipped it home to tie the game at two.

This was the 5th meeting of the season between the Express and Rivermen. In most of the games between the two teams there has been an underlying animosity in the games. It was no different on Wednesday.

In the first period Doug Scott had a notable stare down with Sean Gulka. They met again in the final minutes of the second period. Scott was going to be penalized for a hit on Trevor St. Jean. Gulka didn't take too kindly to the hit and the two dropped the gloves. A pretty even fight saw each guy get in their fair share of shots. Earlier this season Scott had a fight pretty much in the same spot of the ice with Nik Ponak.

Just 13 seconds into the third period Eric Linell was shoved into the corner boards and had a pretty hard collision on the fresh ice. Fortunately for the Express forward he got up right away. But Carter Stephenson was called for boarding.

On the ensuing power play Linell made Stephenson pay scoring his second of the night from another set up by captain Alex Ambrosio at 2:05.

Midway through the third period Langley even things up again. A shot from the right point by Carter Stephenson was tipped by Ethan Leyh and the shot had just enough to trickle through Brock Hamm to tie the game at 3.

Four of the five games between these teams have been tied at some point in the final 6 minutes of the third period.

Wednesday's game was the second of those games to go to overtime. Josh Wildauer used his speed to draw a penalty coming out of the corner in the first overtime.

On the 4 on 3 advantage the Express moved the puck around looking for their opportunity to win it. But bad ice conditions late in the game made it a challenge for the Express to settle a bouncing puck.

Photo courtesy of Garrett James

The Express couldn't convert on their opportunity. They finished 2 for 6 on the power play. Langley was 1 for 2.

In 3 on 3 double overtime Wildauer was stopped powering in from the left wing. Langley goaltender Chad Kromar finished with 23 saves on 26 shots.

At the other end Brock Hamm made overtime saves on a Eric Butte breakaway. Then he had to reach back with all he could to keep a puck out that was rolling towards the goal line. Hamm finished with 31 saves.

With the tie the Express are still winless in their last 14 games, but more efforts like Wednesday and that streak won't last much longer.

The Express are back in action Friday in Chilliwack. 

MARK PETTIE INTERVIEW

Coquitlam Express President Mark Pettie discusses the decision Monday to relieve Barry Wolff as the Express Head Coach & GM and his replacement Jason Fortier.

WOLFF RELIEVED AS EXPRESS HEAD COACH

This is never an easy day. Especially when it involves a friend.

The Coquitlam Express have relived Barry Wolff as the Head Coach & GM of the Coquitlam Express. Jason Fortier has been hired as the new Head Coach and Assistant GM of the Express.

Barry was hired in the spring of 2013. Over the course of 4 plus seasons behind the Express bench Wolff guided the Express to a 88-148-7-15. His best success coming during his first season in 2013-14 when he led the Express to a 27-26-2-3 record. Then in the playoffs he guided the team to series wins over Prince George, Langley, Victoria and a four game sweep of Vernon for the second BCHL championship in Express history.

Wolff also served as an assistant coach and Head Coach with Team Canada West at the World Junior A challenge. Winning a gold medal in 2015.

See the Press release from the Express about the coaching change below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2017

New Direction with Coaching Staff

The Jr A Coquitlam Express of the BCHL is pleased to announce the hiring of Jason Fortier as Head Coach and Assistant General Manager.

With 12 years of coaching at the Junior A and AAA Midget levels, Jason brings to the team deep experience and a long track record of success behind the bench.

His last two seasons were spent coaching in the CHL, most recently in 2016/17 as an Associate Coach with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers and then the prior 2015/16 season as Assistant Coach with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL. During his season with Rouyn-Noranda, the Huskies won the QMJHL Championship and competed in the Memorial Cup, ultimately losing in overtime in the Tournament Final.

During the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons, Jason was the Head Coach and General Manager of the Jr A Toronto Lakeshore Patriots of the OJHL, winning back-to-back OJHL Championships and competing in the 2014 RBC Cup in Vernon, B.C. In these same two seasons, Jason also served as the Director of Hockey and Assistant Coach of the Toronto Nationals Midget AAA team, winning consecutive Ontario Midget AAA Championships and earning two trips to the Telus Cup Canadian Championship, claiming victory in the 2015 Tournament.

Over a six year time span, Jason compiled an impressive Jr A coaching record of 234 wins, 100 losses and 28 OTLs and he is one of the few coaches who have coached in the Memorial Cup, the RBC Cup and the Telus Cup.

Jason was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and played junior hockey in the OHL. He subsequently played in Germany and Holland, and then in the Central Hockey League in the USA. His maternal roots are in Trail, B.C. and his father played for the Smoke Eaters in the 1969/70 season. We are pleased to welcome Jason to the Express family and to the Coquitlam community.

At the same time, we want to thank Barry Wolff for his years of commitment and dedication to the Express. Barry helped the team to a BCHL Championship in 2013/14 and has worked tirelessly for the organization. We wish Barry every success in his future pursuits.

-30-
Media Contacts:

Mark Pettie
President, Coquitlam Express Jr. A Hockey Club
markp@coquitlamexpress.ca

BULLDOGS @ EXPRESS HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights from Sunday's 4-2 Bulldogs win over the Express.

BULLDOGS PULL AWAY FROM EXPRESS IN 3RD

Express celebrate parents weekend - Photo courtesy of Damon James

Alberni Valley struck three times in the third period to break open a tight game en route to a 4-2 win over the Express. Click for boxscore

Josh Bruce had a power play goal
Photo courtesy of Damon James

The win salvaged the final game of a three game road trip for the Bulldogs.

It was a penalty filled affair in the first period. Mitchell Oliver opened the scoring for the Bulldogs by beating Brock Hamm with a one timer for a power play goal.

The Express had a lengthy first period two man advantage that buzzed with plenty of chances in the Bulldogs zone but they couldn't finish their chances.

Then on the fourth power play for the Express in the first period Josh Bruce tipped home a pass from Eric Linell to tie the game at one. Troy Robillard made a great play on the goal to hustle and hold the puck in the Bulldogs zone.

Poor ice conditions made for some pretty sloppy hockey for both teams all afternoon long.

The game remained deadlocked until Keaton Mastrodonato beat Brock Hamm with a wrist shot from the right wing midway through the third period.

Less than two minutes later the Express pressed for the equalizer and found it when Doug Scott jumped into the play and found a loose puck in front of the Bulldogs net and poked home his first BCHL goal at 11:37.

That didn't phase the Bulldogs who kept up their attack in the third period. Ryan Steele re-stored the Bulldogs lead just 2 and a half minutes later to make it 3-2. That goal was followed by Jackson Doucet who beat Brock Hamm with a wrist shot up over his glove just 1:18 after Steele's goal at 15:23 to seal the win for Alberni Valley. That goal capped a 17 shot third period for the visitors.

The shots finished 41-28 in favour of Alberni Valley.

Up next for the Express they have a pair of games next weekend up in Prince George.

WILD 5 EXPRESS 1

Murphy Stratton and Jasper Weatherby each scored twice to pace the Wild in a 5-1 win over the Express. Click here for boxscore

Stratton's two goals came in the opening 8 minutes of the game to give the Wild a 2-0 first period lead.

His first goal saw Stratton re-direct a Sam Hesler pass through the pads of Brock Hamm. 3:50 later Stratton snapped home a pass from Chad Sasaki on Wenatchee's first power play of the night. Wenatchee peppered the Express net with 17 first period shots, while at the other end Wild goaltender  Austin Park only saw 5 first period shots sent his way.

Haydn Delorme cut the Wild lead in half on a second period power play. The puck came to the Express rookie in the slot who chopped a shot home for his third goal of the season. The Express went 1 for 3 on the power play.

Then in the final minute of the middle period Delorme had some bad puck luck behind the net. Delorme saw bounce over his stick behind the net when he tried to reverse it but it was stolen by Jasper Weatherby who potted his 20th of the season on a wraparound for a 3-1 Wild lead after 40 minutes.

Weatherby overtook Surrey's John Wesley for the BCHL lead in goals with second of the night and 21st of the season on a two man Wild advantage early in the third period. Wenatchee finished 2 for 5 on the power play.

Cooper Zech rounded out the scoring snapping home a shot from the slot at 18:18.

Wenatchee finished with 47 shots while the Express struggled all night to generate many quality chances finishing with a season low 14 shots. The set back was the 10th straight loss for the Express.

The Express return to action Sunday afternoon when they host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.