Bruins Down Giants 6 - 1

November 19, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Chilliwack Bruins News Release


The Chilliwack Bruins did something they've never done before Wednesday night, stunning the Vancouver Giants 6-1 in Western Hockey League action. It was the first time the team has ever earned a regulation-time win in 16 all-time regular season visits to the Pacific Coliseum and just the fourth win in 32 all-time regular season matchups.

While you could write off the previous wins as blips on the radar, the Bruins were full value for this one, dominating the Giants from start to finish.

There is a good argument to be made that the first period represented the best 20 minutes Chilliwack has ever played against Vancouver. They out-worked, out-skated and out-hit the Giants, and it all started 14 seconds in when David Robinson laid a beating on James Henry.

The gritty veteran dropped the mitts with Henry and earned a clear decision in a one-sided scrap, hammering the Vancouver forward with a series of right jabs before throwing him to the ice. Robinson drew an extra two as the instigator, but his teammates came through on the penalty kill, shutting down Vancouver's sixth ranked power play unit.

Kevin Sundher was the most dangerous Bruin in period one. On an early power play, the 17-year-old worked his way into the slot for a good shot on Vancouver netminder Jamie Tucker. Later in the period, the speedster beat Giants D-man Kevin Connauton to the outside and forced Tucker to make another solid stop.

But it was defenceman Mitch McColm who opened the scoring for Chilliwack at 11:19 of the opening frame. Seconds earlier, a Chris Collins shot from a sharp angle nearly went up and over Tucker's shoulder. As the Vancouver keeper scrambled back into position, McColm launched a shot from the point that caught the bottom left corner.

His second of the season was the only goal in the period as the Bruins escaped with a 1-0 lead.

Chilliwack held a 10-4 edge in shots, marking only the 12th time the Bruins have ever out-shot the Giants in a period of play (93 all-time regular season periods).

When the Bruins doubled their lead 7:01 into period two, the already quiet crowd at the Pacific Coliseum became library silent. With Henry serving two minutes for checking from behind, Jesse Craige wired a wrist shot on net from the point. Tucker made the save, but served up a juicy rebound for Jamie Crooks. The rookie popped the puck into the yawning cage for his sixth of the season and a completely unexpected 2-0 lead.

The arena sounded like a morgue at 10:38 when Ryan Howse made it 3-0. Playing four-on-four hockey, Howse gathered speed in the neutral zone and flew down the ice on a solo rush. The Calgary Flames draft pick darted past Connauton on the right wing and held him off long enough to snap a rolling puck past Tucker for his team-leading 19th of the season.

Once before, Chilliwack had a 3-0 lead on a Vancouver Giants team. On March 18, 2007 the Bruins built up a four-goal cushion at home, and then promptly coughed it up in what ended up being a 5-4 overtime loss.

This year's team entered the game 7-0-1-0 when carrying a lead into the third period, but the Giants created some anxiety early in period three. Working on a power play, Brendan Gallagher skated off the left wing boards and beat Chilliwack netminder Mark Friesen blocker side for his 13th of the season, cutting Chilliwack's lead to 3-1.

Facing adversity for the first time, the Bruins quickly responded on a goal by Shayne Neigum. Strong forechecking by linemates Robinson and Colton Grant created a loose puck at the top of the Vancouver goal crease. Neigum swooped in and poked it home for his fourth of the season, restoring Chilliwack's three-goal lead.

Robinson provided much-needed breathing room five minutes later, scoring a shorthanded goal. Robinson blocked a Connauton shot at the Chilliwack blueline and took off in the other direction. At the tail end of a long and active shift, Connauton ran out of gas, allowing Robinson to out-manoeuvre him and cut to the net. Robinson beat Tucker with a wrister for his fourth of the season and a 5-1 lead.

The Giants had nothing left at that point as the Bruins played mistake-free hockey and threw themselves in front of shot attempts with reckless abandon. Robinson added his second of the game with just over a minute remaining to wrap up the scoring.

With their second straight win, Chilliwack's record now sits at 10-12-1-3. Vancouver's record dropped to 15-8-1-2.

The Bruins are back in action Friday night at Prospera Centre (7 p.m.), hosting the Portland Winterhawks. The Kamloops Blazers are in town Saturday night.



Western Hockey League Stories from November 19, 2009


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