Bruins visit Spokane

Published on January 31, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Chilliwack Bruins News Release


The Chilliwack Bruins (15-33-3-2) visit the Spokane Chiefs (26-20-3-2) Wednesday night.

The Chiefs, currently in third place in the U.S. Division, are coming off a 4-3 loss in Cranbrook to Kootenay on Saturday, and are an even 5-5 in their last 10 games. Michael Grabner has scored in each of his last three games.

The Bruins are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Everett on Sunday for their fourth defeat in five games, but currently sit tied with Kelowna for fourth place in the B.C. Division. The Bruins are 6-18-2-1 on the road this season.

It's the third meeting of the season between the Chiefs and Bruins. The teams split the first two meetings, with the home team winning on each occasion.

Chilliwack Bruins game notes:

Chilliwack enters tonight's game tied with the Kelowna Rockets for the fourth and final playoff spot in the BC Division. Kelowna has played three more games than the Bruins. The Bruins have two games remaining vs Kelowna this season, Tuesday February 20th in Kelowna and Saturday February 24th in Chilliwack.

The Bruins are 3-6-1-0 in their last ten games...The Bruins are 1-0-1-0 after the first two games of their current seven game road trip. After tonight the Bruins play in Everett on Saturday before visiting Calgary, Red Deer and Kootenay next week...Oscar Moller has scored in three straight games, a new team high...Matt Esposito's 43 saves Sunday in Everett tied the Bruins team record. Alex Archibald made 43 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss in Portland on October 13th...The Bruins allowed 47 Everett shots in the game, the most they have faced in a single game this season...Oscar Moller and Kevin Boutilier's goals 42 seconds apart in the first period shaved 11 seconds off the team record set twice earlier in the season.

Moller watch: Oscar Moller has four goals and three assists in his last three games. Moller leads the Bruins with 24 goals and ranks 7th in WHL rookie scoring with 44 points in 49 games.

Expansion: The Bruins now have 15 wins on the season, one more then the Edmonton (now Kootenay) Ice had in their first season and two more than the Vancouver Giants did in their inaugural season. The WHL record for most wins by an expansion team is 35, set by the Everett Silvertips in 2003-04.

Special Teams: The Bruins powerplay is 53/351 (15.10%) on the season and 22/178 (12.68%) on the road. Chilliwack has killed off 311/387 (80.36%) penalties this season. On the road they have killed off 159/197 (80.71%). In two games vs the Chiefs this season the Bruins are 3/15 (20.00%) on the powerplay and have killed of 11/13 (84.62%) Spokane man advantages.

Bruins Leaders: Goals:Oscar Moller (24) Assists: Mark Santorelli (37) Points: Mark Santorelli (59) Powerplay Goals: Oscar Moller (14) Powerplay assists: Mark Santorelli (24) Penalty Minutes: Craig Lineker (98) Wins: Alex Archibald and Matt Esposito (6) Goals Against Average: Matt Esposito (2.87) Shutouts: Matt Esposito and Alex Archibald (2) Save Percentage: Matt Esposito (90.60)

Injuries: Forward Matt Cline (concussion) remains out indefinitely. Kevin Boutilier (shoulder) and Matt Meropoulis (upper body injury) are both day to day...The Bruins have lost 145 man games to injury this season. Mark Santorelli and Cody Smuk are the only two Bruins to appear in every game this season.

In The System: 17 year old Forward Jadon Potter (Prince Albert Mintos, Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League) is fifth in league scoring with 54 (22g 32a) through 33 games. 16 year old goaltender Mark Friesen (Pembina Valley Hawks, Manitoba Midget AAA League) was named to the league all star team and will play for Team Manitoba at the Canada Winter Games. Friesen has an 11-4-2 record with three shutouts and a goals against average of 2.11 this season. 15 year old forward Ryan Howse (Cariboo Cougars, BC Major Midget League) the 2nd overall selection in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft is one of only three underage players named to Team BC for the 2007 Canada Winter Games. Through 24 games this season with the Cougars, Howse has 18 goals and 13 assists. Howse will join the Bruins for three games in February beginning with the game vs Seattle on February 14th.

Spokane Chiefs news and notes:

HOBSON RETURNS...After missing 26 games due to injury Adam Hobson returned on Wednesday, January 24th with the game winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Saskatoon. Hobson now has two goals and one assist in three games since his return. Prior to the injury, Hobson had played in 194 consecutive games dating back to January, 2004. Hobson now has a five game point scoring streak with three goals and six points. Hobson also has five goals and 10 points in his last 10 games. Hobson had a five game points streak from October 7th through the 15th with one goal and five assists.

KILL 'EM ALL-MOST...In their last six games, the Chiefs are 31-34 (91.2%) on the penalty kill.

NUMEROLOGY...The Chiefs won their 25th game of the season on January 24th at Saskatoon, the 49th game of the season. The win equaled their total from last season.

AN ARMY OF ONE...Since the start of January, Kevin Armstrong has a 1.89 GAA, a .931 save percentage and 5-4 record in nine games. The 18-year-old earned his second shutout of the season, and month, with a 19 save performance in a 3-0 win at Swift Current on January 26th. His 23 saves on January 5th versus Everett earned him his first shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over Everett. In six of his last nine games, 18-year-old has allowed one goal or less. Armstrong is 14-7-0-1 in his last 22 games with a 2.28 GAA and .919 save percentage.

LENOSKI'S LINE...Twenty-year-old Stephane Lenoski has six assists, five on the power play, and is +5 in 15 games as a Chief. The defenseman was acquired from the Chilliwack Bruins in late December. Lenoski is in his fourth season in the WHL spending the previous three with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

RUTHERFORD'S RUN...David Rutherford has eight goals and 16 points in his last 19 games. The 19-year-old had a six game goal scoring streak come to an end on November 8th at Kelowna. Rutherford has 23 goals and 37 points in 46 games as a Chief.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2007


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