The Langley Rivermen three game homestand concludes this Friday in the first of back to back games against their lower mainland rivals the Coquitlam Express. They will travel to the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre on Sunday for the second matchup of the weekend against Coquitlam.
Langley dropped the first two home games of the home stand this past weekend, Friday was a 5-1 defeat to the Chilliwack Chiefs, and Saturday the Surrey Eagles came back from a 3-1 first period Rivermen lead to win 7-3.
Coquitlam picked up three out of a possible four points on their trip to Vancouver Island over the weekend in their first games back from the Christmas break. Friday was a 6-5 shootout loss in Victoria against the Grizzlies, but the Express would pull out a 6-4 win with a thriller in Nanaimo against the Clippers.
This weekend will be the first meeting since October 20th in Coquitlam where the Express won 6-5 in overtime in a barn burner of an affair. Langley trailed 5-2 going into the third and tied it up to send it to overtime, but Joseph Odyniec scored the game winner in the extra frame with 3:17 gone. It is also the first time these two will play each other since the blockbuster trade in early November as Langley acquired Jackson Krill and Sebastian Bradshaw in exchange for Jack Bakker and Mason Kesselring. Both Krill and Bradshaw have been brilliant since joining the Rivermen two months ago.
COQUITLAM PLAYER TO WATCH
#15 Carson McGinley – The Phoenix, Arizona born forward made his Express debut on the island this weekend against Victoria and Nanaimo, and scored in both games. After only having 5 goals in 27 games split between Vernon and Sherwood Park before being acquired by Coquitlam, he is off to a strong start in his Express career. The Arizona State University commit will also skate in his 50th BCHL game Friday, and look for him to make an impact against the Rivermen.
LANGLEY PLAYER TO WATCH
#18 Jackson Krill – The Port Moody product has been playing some of his best hockey coming out of the Christmas break, collecting two goals and two assists in the Rivermen’s first four games back. The former Express forward will be playing in BCHL regular season game #190 Friday, and will look to add to his point tally against his old team this weekend.
Friday’s game at the George Preston Arena will be sponsored by Tommy Guns barbershop, who will be on hand to give haircuts all game long! Tickets for the game can be purchased here https://www.showpass.com/single-game-tickets-7/.
