
Express Weekly: Chicago Earns First Win in Kalamazoo, Hosts Florida
February 20, 2012 - 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, fell twice at home but defeated the Kalamazoo Wings at Wings Stadium on Sunday, posting a 1-2-0-0 record last week. The Express are now 23-21-6-2 on the season, and currently tied with the Cincinnati Cyclones for second place in the North Division with 54 points.
Games this week (Home team in CAPS):
Express at KALAMAZOO - Friday, February 24 @ 6:30 pm
EXPRESS vs. Florida -Saturday, February 25 @ 7:30 pm
EXPRESS vs. Florida - Sunday, February 26 @ 4:00 pm
Last week (Home team in CAPS):
Friday, February 17
Gwinnett 4, EXPRESS 3
After a scoreless first period, the Gladiators jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals just 11 seconds apart in the second period. D Evan Stephens brought the Express back to within one before the end of the frame, and F Pierre-Luc Faubert evened the score at 2-2 just 46 seconds into the final frame. Gwinnett then scored a power play goal followed by a shorthanded marker to regain a two goal lead midway through the third period. LW Maxime Gratchev struck with 6:12 left in the period, but it wouldn't be enough as Chicago fell 4-3.
Saturday, February 18
Cincinnati 7, EXPRESS 3
Cincinnati and Chicago traded goals throughout the first and early part of the second, as the teams were tied 2-2 midway through the frame. The Cyclones then rattled off three straight goals to earn a 5-2 lead, with D Darcy Campbell stopping the bleeding at 8:47 of the third period, bringing the score to 5-3. The Express would get no closer, and Cincinnati scored two more goals at the end of the final stanza to knock off the Express 7-3.
Sunday, February 19
Express 4, KALAMAZOO 3
RW Tyler Donati opened up the scoring 5:06 into the first period, but Kalamazoo came right back to tie the game at 1-1 at 6:35. D Scott Wietecha blasted home a 5-on-3 goal a few minutes later, and the Express never looked back. F Mike Embach bounced home a goal with 1.6 seconds left in the first period, and D Darcy Campbell put Chicago up 4-1 less than two minutes into the second stanza. The Wings knocked home two goals, one in the second and one in the third, to cut Chicago's lead to 4-3, but the Express held on for the victory.
Team Notes:
G Peter Mannino stopped a penalty shot in the second period, the third penalty shot he has faced this season. Mannino has stopped two of the three penalty shot attempts against him.LW Maxime Gratchev played in his 100th ECHL game on Sunday. He had an assist on Chicago's game winning goal.The Express won for the first time in Kalamazoo on Sunday, and now have a 1-2-1-0 record at Wings Stadium.F Ryley Grantham made his Express debut on Saturday, scoring Chicago's first goal.Chicago returned home on Friday, after a six-game road trip. It had been 18 days since the Express played a game at the Sears Centre Arena.
Team Leaders:
Goals: Johnson - 17
Assists: Donati - 45
Points: Donati - 59
Power play goals: Johnson - 7
Short-handed Goals: Johnson - 2
Plus/Minus: Lutz - +14
Penalty Minutes: DiDiomete - 190
GAA: Mannino - 3.21
Save Percentage: Mannino - .892
League Leaders:
RW Tyler Donati - 59 points (5th, ECHL)
RW Tyler Donati - 45 assists (2nd, ECHL)
RW Tyler Donati - 23 power play points (2nd, ECHL)
D Darcy Campbell -15 power play assists (3rd, defensemen)
LW Devin DiDiomete - 190 PIM (2nd, ECHL)
LW Devin DiDiomete - 21.7 shooting percentage 5th, ECHL)
D Scott Wietecha - 16.1 shooting percentage (2nd, defensemen)
Chicago - 1,069 PIM (1st, Eastern Conference)
The Express return to the Sears Centre Arena on Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26, both against the Florida Everblades. Saturday is Athletico Night at the Sears Centre Arena, and on Sunday, all fans in attendance are invited to skate with the team after the game.
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