Vancouver Giants 5 Chilliwack Bruins 4 OT

Published on March 24, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Chilliwack Bruins News Release


Jonathon Blum scored the overtime winner as the Vancouver Giants rallied for a 5-4 playoff win over the Chilliwack Bruins in the opening game of the playoffs Friday night in Vancouver.

Cody Smuk gave the Bruins an early lead with a powerplay goal just 64 seconds into the game. Craig Lineker's dump in took a strange bounce behind the Giants net, leaving a wide open net for Smuk. Spencer Machacek, the overtime hero for the Giants last Sunday in Chilliwack tied the game at one on the powerplay at the 3:48. Bruins captain Josh Aspenlind regained the lead for the Bruins at the 5:27 mark, with a wrist shot from the high slot that went through a maze of players on its way to the back of the net. Despite being outshot 16-3 through twenty minutes, it was the Bruins who held the lead, 2-1 going into the second period.

The Giants tied the game at two just over eight minutes into the middle frame when Wacey Rabbit finised off a two on one, taking a pass from Jonathon Blum and one timing a shot just over the left pad of Bruins netminder Alex Archibald. The game was tied for only 19 seconds before Ken Petkau, with the Bruins third powerplay goal of the game, put the Bruins up 3-2. Mark Santorelli's first of the playoffs with just over a minute left in the second period gave the Bruins a 4-2 lead after two periods of play. Blaine Neufeld took over for Giants starting goaltender Tyson Sexsmith after Sexsmith allowed four goals on seven shots.

Machacek's second of the game, on a wrap around, at the 3:12 mark of the third period brought the Giants to within one. Vancouver tied the game at 15:03 on a penalty shot by Mario Bliznak, setting the table for Blum's overtime heroics.

Game two is tonight at 7pm in Vancouver.

Ice Chips: After going 3/44 on the powerplay during the regular season vs the Giants, the Bruins went 3/5 in game one Friday night...Matt Esposito, Matt Cline and Colton Graf did not play in game one due to injuries. Brayden Metz, Liam Darragh, Scott Maetche and Cam Stevens were also scratched from the lineup ...16 year old goaltender Marc Friesen backed up starter Alex Archibald in game one. Friesen joined the Bruins earlier in the week after completing his Midget season in Manitoba. In February, Friesen was a member of Team Manitoba at the Canada Winter Games, leading his team to a silver medal...Mark Santorelli (1g 2a), Oscar Moller (2a), Josh Aspenlind (1g 1a) and Ken Petkau (1g 1a) all had multiple point games Friday night. Santorelli led the Bruins in the regular season with 25 multiple point games...Of the 20 players dressed for the Bruins Friday night, only five had previous WHL playoff experience. Dylan Chapman is the most experienced with 21 games to his credit, followed by Craig Lineker (19), Ken Petkau (5), Josh Aspenlind (4) and Donnie Glennie (1).

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2007


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