The Coquitlam Express host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at the Train Station on ‘Autism Acceptance Night’! Puck drop is at 3:00pm.
Coming off of a massive 6-3 victory over the Victoria Grizzlies last night, the Express are riding high and looking to make it two in a row.
Ryan Tattle was spectacular as he potted four goals and added one helper in the third period – it was ‘Score for Cancer’ night at the Train Station and Tattle delivered a script right out of Hollywood.
The Bulldogs come into Coquitlam on an eight-game win streak as they sit atop the Coastal Conference (30-12-3-1).
They play a very defensively sound style of hockey and have allowed the fewest goals against (126) in the Coastal.
A testament to their depth is the fact that they’ve scored the fourth-most goals in the Conference and only have one player among the BCHL’s top-20 scorers.
Some good news for the Express is that the Bulldogs are a substantially better team on home ice, opposed to on the road – the Bulldogs are 17-3-2 at home and 13-9-1-1 on the road.
The Express have put up six goals in back-to-back outings and have showcased a new level of offensive prowess. The big guns have been firing as of late.
Tattle has five goals and 10 points in his last four outings, Tyler Kopff has tallied four goals and four helpers in his last five, and on the back end, Matthew Campbell has chalked up two goals and four apples in his previous five games.
The Express have a very fast forwards group and they’ve been using that to their advantage with frequent stretch passes. Whether it’s a tape-to-tape advancing of the puck, or an aerial flip, the Express use these plays to get behind their opponent’s defenders.
Additionally, the Express have been deploying a trap quite consistently on the defensive side of things. They generally stack the neutral zone with a 1-2-2 setup. This causes headaches for their opponents, particularly when they’re chasing the lead.
If the Express can successfully execute these two systems and maintain their offensive strength, they will give this Bulldogs team a true test.
Adam Manji will be in between the pipes tonight for the Express. He’s turned a page in his development and has proven to be a solid netminder when he’s compact and doesn’t lose his crease. He is in search of his third victory of the c
We’ll see you at the Train Station!
#AllAboard | #WeAreAllExpress
