Proud members of the HFL since September 2001
Brigaders derail Express
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By EB Press Services
 No matter what the Minneapolis Express do, they just can't seem to close the deal when it comes to beating the Edmonton Brigaders.
With the score tied at 5 heading into the third frame, the Minneapolis Express looked like they might finally be able to pull off a win thanks to some good chances by forward Sami Kapanen, who had scored twice late in the 2nd. It was not to be, however, as two empty-net goals by Brigaders netminder Olaf Kolzig spoiled what could have been a big win for the oft-struggling team.
The first period showed the greatest promise for the Express, as they took a 3-0 lead within a 13 minute span. It another 2 minutes before the Brigaders managed to get on the board, with goals from captain Todd Bertuzzi and the team's leading blue-line scorer, Nick Boynton.
In the 2nd, things really began to heat up, starting with a goal from new-comer Aleksey Morozov, who scored his second GTG in as many games. It would be a long time before another goal would come, with Express forward Sami Kapanen lighting the lamp twice in 3 minutes to make it 5-3 for the opposition. The Brigaders would once again spoil the party, with defensemen Tony Lydman scoring 1 minute later to bring it within one. As time ticked down, it again looked as though the Express could take a lead into the 3rd, but again, they would be shut down. Forward Chris Drury scored on a nifty backhander with 1:20 remaining in the 2nd to tie the game up.
In the third, things once again heated up. The Express' Kapanen had the biggest chance to win the game in the final period, with a breakaway 5 minutes in. "Ollie the Goalie" responded with a wall of pad, making a save reminiscent of the one on the Maddog's Alex Tanguay in an identical situation last game. It would remain tied until an odd play by Kolzig broke the game wide open.
On a delayed penalty call by Edmonton, and with the Express net empty, a shot by Kapanen deflected off the post and onto Kolzig's stick. "Ollie"managed to wrist the bouncing puck down the ice, but not before the puck hit the blade of Brett Hull, who had cruised across the ice to pick it up. The puck delfected off his stick instead, and managed to roll down the ice unimpeded, into the empty net. This would prove to indeed be the game winner, but it would not be Kolzig's last. With the Express desperate, the net was emptied a second time. Kolzig managed a second wrist shot on an almost identical play, and once again scored, bringing the score to 7-5 in favor of Edmonton, and to what would be the final.
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