Express Weekly: Five-Point Week Springs Express into Tie for 8th

March 19, 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, earned two wins and forced overtime in four home games this week, earning five of a possible eight points. They are now tied with the Reading Royals and Cincinnati Cyclones for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Games this week (Home team in CAPS):

Express at CINCINNATI - Wednesday, March 21 @ 6:35 pm

Express at KALAMAZOO - Friday, March 23 @ 6:30 pm

EXPRESS vs. Kalamazoo - Saturday, March 24 @ 7:30 pm

EXPRESS vs. Toledo - Sunday, March 25 @ 4:00 pm

Last week (Home team in CAPS):

Wednesday, March 14

EXPRESS 3 vs. Wheeling 1

The Express used the power play to down the Wheeling Nailers, as all three goals were scored on the man-advantage. D Scott Wietecha scored the first goal of the game with 3:10 left in the first period to put Chicago up 1-0 at the end of the period. Wheeling tied it at 1-1 midway through the second frame but Chicago received goals from D Darcy Campbell and RW Danick Paquette for the eventual 3-1 win. G Rob Madore stopped 34 of 35 shots in the win.

Friday, March 16

EXPRESS 5, Toledo 2

Despite giving up the first goal just 1:49 into the game, F Pierre-Luc Faubert scored twice in the first period to give Chicago a 2-1 lead after the first. After the two teams traded goals in the second, Chicago ran away with the game in the third by scoring a pair of goals in the frame. The Express outshot the Walleye 34-23 while earning a 5-2 victory.

Saturday, March 17

Trenton 4, EXPRESS 1

The two teams went scoreless into the second period, but Trenton struck twice in the middle frame to take a 2-0 lead into the third period. LW Maxime Gratchev scored for Chicago in the third, making the score 2-1 with 10:12 left to play. A Titans goal 17:03 into the period restored their two goal lead, and an empty-netter with 1:03 to play sealed a 4-1 win for Trenton.

Sunday, March 18

Trenton 5, EXPRESS 4, OT

After the Titans scored with 29 seconds to play in the first period, RW Danick Paquette evened it at 1-1 4:14 into the second. Trenton then scored two in a row at the end of the second and early in the third to jump ahead 3-1. F Pierre-Luc Faubert answered right back 3:11 into the final frame, but the Titans restored a 4-2 advantage midway through the period. Chicago's power play came alive late in the third, as the Express scored twice on the man-advantage in a matter of 1:14 to force overtime. With time winding down, the Titans scored in the sudden death period to claim a 5-4 overtime win over Chicago.

Team Notes:

G Rob Madore stopped 19 shots in the first period on Wednesday, setting an Express record for most saves in one period.Wednesday night marked the first time that Chicago had scored more than two power play goals in a game. It started a streak in which the Express would score on nine of 15 chances over their next four games (60%).F Matt Gingera scored his first professional goal in the third period on Friday.D Taylor Ellington is in the midst of a five-game assist streak, picking up six assists during that span.G Brooks Ostergard made his first professional start on Sunday against Trenton.The Express play all of their remaining regular season games against teams from the North Division.

Team Leaders:

Goals: Faubert - 19

Assists: Donati - 47

Points: Donati - 61

Power play goals: Faubert, Johnson, Wietecha - 7

Short-handed Goals: Embach, Johnson - 2

Plus/Minus: Lutz - +22

Penalty Minutes: Paquette - 199

GAA: Madore - 2.21

Save Percentage: Madore - .930

League Leaders:

RW Tyler Donati - 47 assists (t-4th, ECHL)

RW Tyler Donati - 19 power play assists (4th, ECHL)

RW Tyler Donati - 25 power play points (t-4th, ECHL)

D Nathan Lutz - +22 plus/minus (t-1st, ECHL)

D Darcy Campbell -17 power play assists (t-3rd, defensemen)

D Taylor Ellington - 6 shootout goals (t-2nd, ECHL)

D Taylor Ellington - 148 shots (3rd, defensemen)

RW Danick Paquette - 199 PIM (4th, ECHL)

RW Danick Paquette - 47 minor penalties (2nd, ECHL)

D Scott Wietecha - 15.1 shooting percentage (5th, defensemen)

D Scott Wietecha - 14 goals (2nd, defensemen)

D Scott Wietecha - 7 power play goals (t-2nd, rookies)

D Darcy Campbell - 16 power play assists (t-3rd, defensemen)

D Jonathan Zion - 17.1 shooting percentage (2nd, defensemen)

Chicago - 1,311 PIM (1st, Eastern Conference)

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.



ECHL Stories from March 19, 2012


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