The first game of the season going well is an excellent sign, but it doesn’t mean all the eggs can be put in one basket just quite yet.
Coquitlam outworked the Chilliwack Chiefs to kick off the campaign and the question now is can they keep that level of work ethic up. Naturally every team has their own personnel and strategies so no gameplan is one size fits all. However, the choice to forecheck, backcheck and overall defend like the Express did last night, is certainly the gameplan that counters almost any other.
And if there is one moment to remember going forward as the example being set, it would have to be James Shannon diving to knock the puck away on a back door feed. Had that effort not been present, the Chiefs may have had a powerplay goal and momentum swing on their hands.
The Capitals are a team that has hovered around the bottom of the BCHL for the last few seasons but is now under new management. The addition of Fred Page Cup winning coach and GM from last season, Cam Keith, is a shakeup not many were expecting. This will be a well structured team filled with renewed purpose heading into this campaign. They ran into a tough Salmon Arm team at home last night, dropping a 4-2 decision but their netminder, Alexei Noskov, stopped 45 of 49 shots. From Owen Bresson on night one to another capable netminder the next, the offence likely won’t get a free pass this evening.
Some extra emotion lies behind this game too for the coaching staff and players as they face off against former teammate and newly minted Captain of the Capitals, Gavin Giesbrecht. The White Rock product scored 18 goals and 34 points in 2022-2023 for the Express and last season was traded to the Capitals 12 games in. He went on to net 26 points in 38 games for the Caps and has earned the “C” for this season.
Over the last five season the series between these sides sits at 6-2-1 in favour of the Express.
If the Express hope to come away with the victory they will need to buy in to the gameplan once again like last night. Sticking with the structure and frustrating their opponent into making mistakes will be a massive boon for the home side. The offence is also looking fluid early and will likely explode given the right patience. Last night multiple players got partial breaks but either got in too tight to the goaltender, or were harried from behind before they could get the shot away.
Tonight also hits very close to home for the Express as they host their annual First Responders Night. Dropping the puck will be Nicole O’Brien, the wife of the late Cst. Rick O’Brien. Rick was an incredible, brave and selfless RCMP officer who lost his life in the line of duty protecting the community he loved. After every game, one player on the Express is awarded with a memorial challenge coin in Cst. O’Brien’s honour.
Be sure to grab your tickets online or stop by the box office and join us in honouring the legacy of Cst. Rick O’Brien and all the heroes protecting our community.
If you can’t make it down, the FloHockey broadcast will be live around 6:40 PST
– Ian Wilson
