(Walpole, MA) -- Both Express teams traveled to their league’s respective Thanksgiving Showcases last weekend. The Jr. A team continued to struggle scoring goals though the first two games of the Showcase, dropping a 2-1 shootout decision to the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers on Friday and posting a 2-1 loss in regulation to the Philadelphia Little Flyers on Saturday. On Sunday, the offense that has brought the Express 16 wins this season reappeared for the first time in more than two weeks as the team let loose on the Binghamton Jr. Senators with a 6-1 win. Matt Venoit led the way with two goals while Dino Federico, Eric Vos, Ryan Jones and Matt Wedge also hit the back of the net. "We have struggled scoring in the past several weeks,“ said Jr. A Head Coach Mark Kumpel. “With the exception of the Cyclones game last week, we played good hockey in three losing efforts. Finally, today we were able to break through and, as a result, got goals from a number of different people."

The Jr. B team played two league games this weekend in Northford, Conn., winning 6-1 on Friday night against the New Jersey Renegades and dropping just the team’s second game of the season to a hard-working New Jersey Rockets, 2-1 on Saturday. "We haven't played our best hockey lately and it caught up to us in the Rockets game,” said Head Coach Tony Dalessio. “We need to get back to basics this week and prepare for Hartford this weekend."

With the annual holiday break on the horizon both Express teams have just a few games remaining in December. The Jr. A team will return to Iorio Arena this weekend to host the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8:40 pm and the Laconia Leafs on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 1 pm.

The B team will play against Hartford twice: on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Iorio Arena at 8:30 pm and on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Hartford’s home rink in Cromwell, Conn. These will be the last two meetings between the teams. "Both teams have played a lot of hockey to this point and are a little tired,” said Dalessio. “We still have some business to take care of over the next few weekends but I think everyone is eager to have a week or so off to recharge for the second half of the season."