Hockey
Eagles Dominate Express
The Eagles enter the last game of the first half of the 2016-17 season in a game that had as much feel as the weather that one could only described as unsettled.
The game was promoted as “Corner Gas Night” that featured Lorne Cardinal, who
Interesting enough Lorne calls Squamish home, while Fred resides in Port Moody area of the lower mainland, so travel wasn’t all that difficult for either.
The Express are starting Reid Cooper, while the Eagles put Keelan Williams between the pipes.
The quick start saw Express “D-man” Jake Brien leave the ice with an undisclosed lower body injury.
Try as they might the Express never got the first shot on goal until the 6:46 mark of the first period while the Eagles managed four with several more chances narrowly missing the net.
As aggressive as the play was, it wasn’t until the 10:12 mark that Coquitlam had the first PP of the game with Williams being sent off for high sticking.
Not the start the Eagles wanted allowing the Express to grab one on the PP at 10:34 with Jones taking a pass from Giunta grabbing an early 1-0 lead.
The Eagles are currently ranked 4th in PP stats in the BCHL got their first chance on the PP as Knight was sent to the box for Interference giving the Eagles another PP chance.
While the PP never worked, it was playing five on five that saw the Eagles Roberts get his 7th of the season giving them the tie at 16:37.
Surrey gave the Express the 2nd PP of the night with Burgart going to the box at 16:34 with injured Express Jake Brien returning to the game.
Surrey ended the first on the PP having several chances with the most prevalent coming from a shot from Dupont with the last five seconds of the period.
The extended intermission had many wondering why the was no “Delay of Game” minor assessed to the Express and interesting enough no one questioned the Officials as to why?
The period saw the Eagles on the PP only to be followed by a heavy check on Mike Sauer behind the net of Cooper to which a Fight ensued.
Penalties assessed by the officials saw the Eagles serving a minor, while the Express handed two Major’s and two Game Misconducts.
One Major was for Checking from behind and the other was for fighting, with each carrying an automatic Game Misconduct penalties.
The best chance while on the PP was from Burgart at the 5:02 mark of the period only having his explosive shot graze off the post.
Not only being denied once, but he was again denied at 6:18 after taking a tape to tape pass from Westgard only to be followed by a break-out pass with Bosa returning to the ice after serving the Express penalties.
More aggressive or chippy play was followed with Eagles Ty Westgard lock horns with Ambrosio, which to the surprise on no one, both were sent off.
A long shot from Gerlib at the point at 8:19 first saw Burgart first jump on a free puck, which was kicked out to Davidson who got his 20th of the season giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The Eagles continued to throw everything at Cooper who at times was left alone and this time it was McAvoy who gave them a 3-1 lead at 15:31.
A short 23 seconds later the Express broke in on the left side collapsing the Eagles “D” sending their second of the game past Williams as Leone getting his 13th of the season.
Never say never and that seemed to be the motto for the Express on this night again pressing on the left side getting the tying goal a short 2:07 later with Toor getting one past Williams at 18:01.
The Eagles went back on the PP at 1:58 of the third, this time getting an early marker 18 seconds in with Calder getting his 13th of the season forcing the Express to again come from behind.
With the Express trailing tempers again began to flair with both Gerlib taking a minor, while Knight was assessed a double minor.
The Eagles had the upper hand on the PP having not one, but two shots careem off the post keeping the game a one goal game.
Tension began to flair and managed to get the better everyone when Minerva sent an enormous check on Bosa at the center line causing Jones to come to the rescue.
McAvoy was sent in alone at 10:35 only to be turned aside by Cooper who undoubtedly made his best save of the game turning it aside.
Shot after shot was turned aside by Cooper and if not for him the game clearly could have been more than a one goal game.
As chippy as the game was time working against the Express and as strong as they played they were again tagged with a minor, this time to Sande inside their own zone.
With time winding down the Eagles were protecting a one goal game and the Express had more than one chance to tie the game
The best chance was after the Express pulled Cooper only to have Eagles Paul McAvoy hit the post sending the Express in on a log break-in that appeared to be an obvious icing on the play, only to be waved off.
With time against them, the Express were unable to penetrate the strong defence of the Eagles allowing the Eagles to pull off a 4-3 win.
Shots on the night saw Williams face 39 allowing 4, while Cooper had 46 thrown his way giving up 4 and clearly being outworked in a losing affair.
The Eagles face-off against Wenatchee at South Surrey with the face-off set for 6:30 pm.