Express Battle Back to Force OT, Fall to Trenton 5-4

Published on March 18, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Chicago Express News Release


Hoffman Estates, IL - The Chicago Express, proud member of the ECHL and proud affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, struck twice in the final four minutes of the game to force overtime, where they fell 5-4 to the Trenton Titans at the Sears Centre Arena on Sunday afternoon. The point earned by Chicago in the game places them into a three-way tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

In a similar fashion to last night's contest, Trenton struck first, this time late in the first period. Former Express F Drew Akins put a backhand goal past Express G Brooks Ostergard at 19:31 to give his team the lead going into the first intermission. Trenton held a 12-6 shot advantage after the opening frame. The period featured 8 penalties between the two teams and set the tone for a very chippy game between the two teams.

Chicago answered back and knotted it up at 1-1 just 4:14 in the second period when RW Danick Paquette redirected a Taylor Ellington shot from the point into the back of the net. F Maxime Gratchev also assisted on the play. The Titans regained the lead with just under 4 minutes to go in the second period when D Ray DiLauro received a pass on the left wing from Dustin Cameron and snapped it under the blocker of Ostergard. Chicago gained the shot advantage in the second period at 19-18.

Akins started off the third period with a bang, as he tallied his second goal of the contest 2:16 into the frame. Unfazed, the Express came right back when F Pierre-Luc Faubert received a pass from D Jonathan Zion right in front of the net and beat G Dace Caruso and cut the Trenton lead to 3-2. LW Andy Bohmbach looked to net the backbreaking goal at 12:41 when he restored a two goal advantage to the Titans. However, a late power play to the Express opened the door for D Scott Wietecha to net his 14th goal of the season with a one-timer from the right point with 3:25 remaining in play. A tripping penalty asses to the Titans just 25 second later set the stage for Zion. With 2:11 left in the game, Caruso attempted to play a puck in front of his own net, but dropped it into traffic and Zion scooped it home, tying the game at 4-4 and forcing overtime.

Chicago had two great chances to score in the sudden death period, but Caruso came up with two outstanding plays to keep the game tied. Bohmbach then won an offensive zone faceoff back to D Ray DiLauro, and his slap shot from the left point snuck just inside the goalpost to lift the Titans to a 5-4 overtime victory over Chicago. The Express earned a point in the game, and combined with regulation losses by both Cincinnati and Reading, the Express are now in the three way tie with those two clubs for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Power plays: CHI: 3/4; TRE: 0/4

Three stars: 1. R. DiLauro (TRE); 2. D. Paquette (CHI); 3. J. Zion (CHI)

Notes:

Chicago scored three power play goals for the second time in their last four games. The Express are 9-for-15 in those games, for a 60 percent conversion rate... D Taylor Ellington is now on a five game assist streak, tallying six assists during that time... G Brooks Ostergard started for the Express, his first professional start... Chicago played their last game of the regular season against a team outside of the the North Division. In their remaining seven games, they face Cincinnati and Kalamazoo three times each, and the Toledo Walleye once more.

The Express hit the road on Wednesday to battle the Cincinnati Cyclones for sole possession of second place in the North Division. They then travel to Kalamazoo on Friday night before hosting the Wings and the Toledo Walleye at the Sears Centre Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

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