For most of the season Express fans and opposing defenceman have been keenly aware of what Coquitlam forward Alex Petan can do with the puck.
But now the league has taken notice, naming the 19-year-old right winger player of the week, after he accumulated seven points in three games.
Petan, originally from Delta, started the week with a hat trick against in a game 5-4 victory over the Langley Rivermen, a feat that earned him the first star of the game.On Saturday he notched a goal and two assists in a rematch against the Fraser Valley squad, also a 5-4 victory for the Express, before scoring a single goal against the Nanaimo Clippers in a 3-2 victory on Sunday.
The weekend wins have extended the Express win streak to five games, and the team appears to be heating up at the right time in the season. With three games left before the regular season (including one Tuesday night after The Tri-City News' deadline). Coquitlam fell behind during Friday's match against the Riverman, surrendering two early goals.
But the team crawled back with two goals of its own, one from Petan and a shorthanded goal from Clinton Atkinson, which tied the game.
The Riverman regained the lead with a powerplay marker before Petan scored two more in the third period to help his team to its first lead of the game.
Langley's Darnell Dyck tied the came with 2:54 left in the third by but Express forward Brady Shaw netted a powerplay goal 30 seconds later for the win.
Coquitlam had a stronger start in Saturday's rematch against the Rivermen.
Eric Margo, Shaw and Justin Georgeson each scored to make it 3-0 before Langley's Mario Puskarich netted a pair of goals in the middle frame to bring his squad to within one.
Both teams exchanged goals in the third period, including a single marker from Petan. When the final horn blew the Express had a 5-4 victory, their fourth in a row.
Coquitlam's powerplay was clicking at 40% on Sunday against Nanaimo, with two of the teams three goals coming on the man advantage.
Nanaimo also scored a couple of powerplay goals in the tightly-played matchup, which the Express won 302.
Coquitlam will visit Nanaimo on Wednesday night before playing the final regular season game of the year against Chilliwack at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre on Friday.
For more information go to www.coquitlamexpress.ca.
