They don’t ask how, they ask how many, and it’s two wins in a row for the Express on home ice. Both one-goal affairs that came down to the wire, and tonight’s contest against the Nanaimo Clippers was especially fierce.
The game started fast with chances at each end, but it was top Express scorer Chase Valliant who opened it up 11:54 into the first period when he banged home a rebound from Justin Ivanusec.
That score held until the second period when Nishaan Parmar slotted home his *fifth* goal of the weekend to make it 2-0. The Clippers responded 10 minutes later with a redirection by Miller Kay to cut the lead to 1.
Nanaimo took just one minute into the third to tie the game, with Charles Beland continuing his scoring streak on a rush to the net. It looked like that score was going to hold until overtime, until Justin Ivanusec put on his hero cape and scored off his own rebound with just 27 seconds to go.
The Clippers surmounted a quality effort, peppering Charles-Antoine Girard in the remaining seconds, but the Express bent and didn’t break, hanging on for the victory.
A big scuffle broke out as the game ended, and Clippers captain Miller Kay was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for an illegal check to the head after the whistle.
The Express now find themselves in a three-way tie for 1st place in the division, alongside Chilliwack and Prince George. They next play on October 9th, an away game in Langley against the Rivermen.
You can catch the game on FloHockey with broadcaster Zach Clarke!
