The Coquitlam Express said so long to 2017 with a 3-2 loss to the Chiliwack Chiefs last Saturday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.
The home team generated only 12 shots on net and couldn’t connect on any of their six power play chances. But they might have been a bit tired.
That’s because the night before the Express endured a seven-hour bus journey through ice and snow to Merritt where they were able to defeat the Centennials 5-2 in a game that didn’t start until 9:15 p.m. and ended just 30 minutes shy of midnight.
The team was caught in the thick of the storm that coated the Fraser Valley in ice and heavy snow farther east.
“It’s hockey, why not?” said Express coach Jason Fortier on social media when bus driver Adrian de Lotz was finally able to deliver his charges to Merritt safe and sound. “We are making memories as a group.”
The memories were especially sweet for forward Colby Pederson, who scored two goals, and defenceman Troy Robillard, who pitched in three assists to lead the Express to only their eighth regulation time win of the season. Eric Linell, Joshua Bruce and Joshua Wildauer scored the other goals for Coquitlam and goaltender Clay Stevenson stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced.
“Maybe we should start all of our games at 9:15,” said the team on its social media account.
The Express paid the price for its arduous journey the next night, as the Chiefs jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was five minutes old.
Jordan Schulting got one of those back 13:48 into the first period and Pederson’s third goal in two nights at 14:21 of the second period tied it.
But after Jake Gresh put the Chiefs back in front early in the third period, the visitors played shut-down hockey and limited the Express to only two shots on goal the rest of the way. Even a four-minute power play seven minutes into the period after Chilliwack’s Corey Andonovski was sent to the penalty box with a double minor for high sticking couldn’t spark the home team to life as Coquitlam managed only one shot.
The Express won’t have to fret wintry bus rides for the rest of the week as they host a pair of home games; they play Merritt tonight, 7 p.m., and Trail visits the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex on Friday.
• The Express are without a captain as veteran forward Alex Ambrosio announced just before the holiday break that he had committed to play at Lake Superior State University, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. beginning in the winter semester.
The 20-year-old Burnaby native was named captain prior to the start of this season. He played 134 games for the Express, scored 30 goals and added 42 assists. He had nine goals and 16 assists when he left the team.
