Township of Langley, BC (Saturday, December 19, 2015) – The Langley Rivermen and Coquitlam Express played their fourth game in the season series at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday night. The previous three have been high scoring affairs with 29 goals scored in total between the teams. Nick Trencianksy started in net for the Rivermen, while Tyger Howat played for the Express.
For the second straight night, the Rivermen gave up the opening goal in the game. Former Riv forward Erik Udahl was able to put a rebound past Trencianksy for his seventh goal of the year at the 11:17 mark. A shift later, Matt Saharchuk tipped in a Troy Ring point shot for his second goal in as many nights. Zac Masson earned the secondary helper on Saharchuk’s 11th goal of the year. Trenciansky and Howat were perfect the rest of the period as the two teams went into the break tied at 1-1.
In the second period, the hero from Friday night Adam Sinclair put away his ninth goal of the season at the 1:12 mark. After good work down low in the Express zone, Sinclair took the puck from the behind the net and fired a shot off an Express defenseman’s stick and into the back of the net. Justin Szeto and Max Kaufman had the assists. Just before the 10 minute mark of the frame, Zac Masson buried his sixth goal of the season with a perfectly placed snap shot coming down the left-wing that beat Howat high stick side. Kaufman and Jordan Schneider helped out on the play with the assists.
Down two goals in the third, Alex Ambrosio scored for the visitors at the 2:09 mark with a backhand shot from the side of the net. Less than four minutes later, Jason O’Neill restored the two goal lead for the Rivermen. O’Neill took a pass over the opposing blue line and let a quick snap shot fly over the glove side of Howat. Affiliate player Sean Olson recorded his first career BCHL point with the only assist on the marker. In the last minute of play, Matt Saharchuk sealed the game with his second of the night into the empty net to make it a 5-2 final.
Saharchuk, Kaufman, Schneider, and Masson all had multi-point efforts for the Riv. With the victory, Langley has now won two straight games and have reached the 20 win mark on the campaign. One game remains before the Christmas break, which will happen on Sunday afternoon against the Prince George Spruce Kings at 3:00pm. It is the last day of RIVMAS with all fans receiving free entry into the game and will also receive either a $5 food or merchandise voucher.
NOTES: Shots on Goal: LAN 28, COQ 32. Power play: LAN 0/1, COQ 0/3. Three Stars: 1st: LAN Zac Masson, 2nd: LAN Max Kaufman, 3rd: COQ Erik Udahl.
