Bruins Claw Past Giants 3-2

September 30, 2007

The Chilliwack Bruins came away with a hard fought 3-2 shootout victory over the Vancouver Giants Sunday night at Prospera Centre. The victory marks the first regular season win for the Bruins versus the Giants.

Giants forward Chris Cloud opened the scoring for the Giants in the first period, shovelling a backhand under the crossbar, over the shoulder of Bruins goalie Matt Esposito for a 1-0 Giants lead at 18:02 of period one.  The Bruins killed off five power plays in the first, including a prolonged 5 on 3 session during which the Giants out shot the Bruins 9-1, but could not convert.  The Giants out shot the Bruins 13-5 through 20 minutes of play.

Colby Kulhanek levelled the game at one early in the second, sliding a puck under Giants keeper Tyson Sexsmith after what seemed like a harmless shot from the point by Cody Hobbs was left unattended.  Kulhanek converted the rebound for his third of the season.  The Bruins out shot the Giants 9-7 in a fairly even second period, this period marking the first time this season that the Giants had been out shot in a period.

In a tight checking third period, the Giants ran into some penalty trouble early and were killing off a late penalty when Giants forward Spencer Machacek hammered home a slap shot short handed past a startled Esposito with just 3:57 left on the third period clock.  Just 63 seconds later, it was once again Colby Kulhanek stuffing home another juicy rebound, his second goal of the game.  Mark Santorelli and Cody Smuk picked up the assists.  Two late penalties by the Bruins gave the Giants a late couple of chances, but the Bruins penalty killers did their job and the game headed to overtime.

After a tense start of the overtime which saw the Bruins have to kill off the last 90 seconds of a Cody Hobbs penalty, the remainder of overtime generated few chances, which took the game to a shootout.  After a clean sheet through the first three rounds by Esposito, who stopped Michal Repik, Chris Cloud and Machacek, and Sexsmith, who stopped Bruins players Jadon Potter, Oscar Moller and Nick Holden, the shootout went to round four.  After a splendid glove save by Matt Esposito on Giant d-man Brent Regner, Bruin forward Mark Santorelli snapped home the winner, glove side, post and in for the victory.

Matt Esposito earns his fourth win of the season, and his first career win against the Giants.  Sexsmith drops to 4-0-0-1 on the current campaign.  These teams do not play again until the rematch, back at the Pacific Coliseum on Friday night.  Bruins next home game will be on Saturday, October 6th, when the Kamloops Blazers pay their first visit of the season to Prospera Centre.  Game time on Saturday’s home game will be at 7 pm.       

Ice Chips: Mark Santorelli's assist on Kulhanek's second goal of the game kept his point streak alive. Santorelli has registered at least one point in each of the Bruins first five games. Kulhanek has four goals already this season, he scored two last season in 70 games...