Game Story

Surrey Eagles vs Coquitlam Express Pre Game Report

by Ryan Ho

Coquitlam, BC – There are no bigger games than when a team gets to match up against the best team in any given league, and tonight the Surrey Eagles (17-19-2-4) will do just that against the B.C Hockey League’s Coquitlam Express (37-6-0-0). While Coquitlam’s 17 game winning streak was snapped last week, the Express still boast an incredible 23 game winning streak at home which dates back to last season. The Eagles came close to winning inside the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex earlier in the year, but will look to get over the hump and snap the iconic streak tonight.

After his fantastic performances in Prince George on the weekend, look for Reece Klassen to man the net tonight to give Tommy Scarfone some more rest, although Scarfone’s status could change that decision. As for the Eagles roster, check out our social media channels later today for the full update.

Who To Watch Out For

In a game of this magnitude, the best players will need to be the best players for the Eagles. The Express are the best team in the league for a reason, and if the Eagles aren’t up to snuff they’ll get played out of the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex. The last 2 games in Coquitlam had 2 different outcomes, with the Express winning the first game 6-1, followed by a the Eagles barely falling in an overtime 3-2 decision. With another chapter unfolding, look for a Quebec native to continue his success against Surrey, while the Eagles captain looks for a milestone.

Surrey Eagles: Hudson Schandor

Hudson Schandor is on the verge of a milestone when tonight’s game gets underway, as Schandor has 99 career points in the BCHL. 100 would be a tremendous milestone for the University of Connecticut commit as he wraps up his final season in the league, and to do it against the best team in a winning effort would make it all the sweeter. Look for Hudson to be everywhere on the ice tonight, to try and turn this dream into a reality.

Coquitlam Express: Greg Lapointe

Lapointe is a fantastic goal scorer on an incredible Express team. In the last weekend series against the Eagles, Lapointe had 2 goals and 5 assists to lead Coquitlam to the weekend series sweep. On the season, the St Lawrence University commit has 25 goals and 44 points in 43 games to lead his team in both categories. Look for more of the same from Lapointe today as he’ll be a weapon the Eagles have to keep in check.

3 Keys To The Game

It’s going to be a grind tonight inside the ‘Pond on Poirier’. The Express are a big team, and they’ll crash and bang with this young Surrey squad any chance they get. If the Eagles want to do what no other team has done this season, they’ll need to follow the keys to the game below.

  • Special Teams: The biggest key against this Express team is to win the special teams battle. On Saturday night, the Eagles got 2 powerplay goals, and didn’t give up a powerplay goal against. Against such a good team like the Express, gaining an advantage is critical and the Eagles will need to tonight.
  • Stick To Your Gameplay: Safe to say the Eagles have more success when they stick to their game plan this season. It can be tough when you go up against such a good team like the Express to do so, but the Eagles need to keep their heads down and go to work. It’s not going to be easy, but earning a win in this building hasn’t been done. So time for everyone to step up and show the league what this team is capable of.
  • Remain Confident: There are times when teams go up against giants, an early deficit can derail a group’s confidence. That can’t be the case here and the Eagles know it. A reminder that the Eagles are one of the teams to have beaten the Express this season, and they’ve only lost 6 times… They’ve done it before, they can do it again.

Summary

The Eagles are looking for their 3rd win in a row against the BCHL’s best, in a building the Express haven’t lost in all seasons. The odds might be stacked against this young group, but Schandor and the boys have been exceeding expectations all year. Tonight is a great opportunity to show the league the Eagles aren’t someone you want to meet in the playoffs. The Express will look to take care of business. It sets up a great night of hockey from Coquitlam tonight.

Can’t make it to the game tonight? You can catch the live broadcast on HockeyTV and Mixlr. The broadcast will start at 7:00pm, with the opening puck drop slated for 7:15pm from the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.