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Express Drop Nooner to Langley

The Express had their 3 game winning streak come to an end Wednesday afternoon dropping a 4-3 decision to the Langley Rivermen.  Click here for boxscore

It was the 5th straight game in which the Express gave up the opening goal of the game, and for the first time in that run they weren’t able to at least come out of the game with a point.

Ethan Leyh opened the scoring 50 seconds into the game stepping into a pass from the boards in the Express zone into slot area and a quick shot was snapped past the blocker of Kolby Matthews.

Fresh off securing a commitment to RIT, Kolby Matthews came back with a number of quality saves to keep the Express deficit at just one. Despite the loss, the had a solid outing finishing with 32 saves.

Connor Gregga showed great hand eye coordination to bat home his 5 goal of the season at 12:06 to tie the game at 1.

The Express had a full two minute powerplay late in the first period that carried over into the second period. Despite some good puck movement the Express couldn’t add to their lead.

Moments after that powerplay expired, Danny Pearson surprised Langley goaltender Braedon Fleming with a wrist shot past his glove from just inside the blueline. For Pearson it was his 4th of the season and his second goal in as many games.

Goals in quick succession has been a constant theme for the Express in recent outings. That continued Wednesday as Dallas Farrell scored 3 minutes after Pearson’s goal by jumping on a loose puck that bounced off the corner boards and Farrell’s shot beat Fleming up over his shoulder for a 3-1 Express lead.

Immediately following the goal Rivermen Head Coach Bobby Henderson called his timeout to re-group his team. They immediately responded with good pressure in the Express zone.

1:09 after Farrell’s goal C.J. Walker beat Kolby Matthews from the slot to cut the Express lead to 3-2.

Just under 6 minutes later Devin Leduc and Daneel Lategan broke out on a two on nothing break and Lategan kept the puck himself and buried his own rebound to tie the game at 3.

In the third period Devin Leduc rushed out from deep on his own zone all the way untouched into the Express zone where he finally met 4 Express defenders who couldn’t team up to contain Leduc and he slid a shot under Matthews for what would turn out to be the game winning goal.

Forward Alex DiPaolo took a tumble coming back on a play defensively and crashed into the end boards and was in some discomfort and didn’t return for the rest of the game. That had a trickle down effect on the forward lines as the Express sought an equalizer.

A fourth powerplay for the Express in the third period went unconverted and Langley held on the rest the way. The Express finished 0 for 4 on the powerplay.

The win improves Langley to 2-1 against the Express in the season series.

The Express return to the ice Friday night when they host the Vernon Vipers.