Santorelli, Holden Lead WHL

March 19th 2008

Mark Santorelli is the Bruins’ franchise leader in assists, points and games played - Bob Frid Photo

Chilliwack Bruins forward Mark Santorelli captured the Bob Clarke trophy as the WHL's leading scorer with two goals in the Bruins final game of the regular season in Vancouver. Santorelli finished the season with 101 points, one better than Kelowna Rockets' forward Colin Long.

In recent WHL expansion, the Calgary Hitmen (Pavel Brendl 1998-99) and the Everett Silvertips (Zach Hamill 2006-07) each had scoring champions in their team's fourth WHL Season, a mark Santorelli has eclipsed by two seasons.

Santorelli, a 19-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., scored 27 goals and 74 assists for 101 points in 72 games played this season.

The 6’ 1”, 185-lb left wing led all WHL players in assists and power play assists this season, and recorded at least one point in 54 of the 72 games he played this season and at least two points in 18 games. He also enjoyed a 14-game point scoring streak from October 17th – November 17th matching the Bruins team record he set last season.

Santorelli has played two seasons for the Bruins, and has recorded 56 goals and 127 assists for 183 points in 144 career regular-season games played. He is the Bruins’ franchise leader in assists, points and games played.

Santorelli was drafted in the 4th round (119th overall) by the Nashville Predators at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Holden Leads WHL D-men in Goals

Chilliwack Bruins defenseman Nick Holden closed out the 2007-08 season with 22 goals, which led the WHL for goal scoring by defenseman. Holden, a 20 year old from St. Albert, AB, finished third overall in WHL defensive scoring with 60 points (22-38-60) this season. Holden nearly doubled his offensive totals from the previous season (31 last year, 60 this season) and saw his +/- change this year from a -8 last season to a +5 this season, while being assigned to shut down all of the top players in the WHL.

Bruins set a number of Individual and Team Records

As the Chilliwack Bruins get ready for their second consecutive post season appearance, they also have set a number of individual and team records this season.

- 28 wins and 64 points for the Bruins this year (25 wins and 57 points 06-07)

- 206 goals for and 241 goals against this year (168 for and 260 against 06-07)

- 8 short-handed goals for this year (4 in 06-07)

- Mark Santorelli scored 74 assists and 101 points this year (53 assists and 82 points in 06-07)

- Oscar Moller scored 39 goals this season (team record was 32 goals, set by Moller in 06-07)

- Nick Holden scored 22-38-60 this season (last year Holden's record for d-corps scoring was 8-23-31)

- Santorelli led the WHL in power play assists this season with 45 (last season Santorelli scored 34 assists in 06-07). He also had 28 multi point games (25 in 06-07).

- Oscar Moller had the longest WHL goal scoring streak this season, scoring in nine straight games. Moller had eight multiple goal games this season, eclipsing the six multi goal contests that he and Santorelli had in 06-07.

- The Bruins power play scored 75 power play goals this season on 363 opportunities. Last year, they scored 73 goals on 80 more chances (443). The Bruins led the WHL in road power play success with a 23.5% success rate. This 23.5% success rate is the 4th best road power play percentage in the past 12 seasons.

- The Bruins had 5 20+ goal scorers and 8 10+ goal scorers this season. Last year, the Bruins had 4 20+ goal scorers and no other player scored more than eight goals.

- Matt Esposito posted team best 18 wins in goal (last year he posted a team record 14 wins.)

- Santorelli and Moller as a duo have scored as many points, 336, as any other duo in the WHL over the past two seasons.

New Individual and Team Records set this season: