Pighin thriving with snipers on top line

December 7th, 2007

Evan Pighin is as pleased as a pig in mud these days.

The former Salmon Arm SilverBack is starting to thrive on the Chilliwack Bruins' top line alongside NHL draft picks Oscar Moller and Mark Santorelli. He carries an impressive four-game point streak (3-7-10) into Saturday's intriguing tilt against the 2007 WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers at Prospera Centre (7 p.m., TEAM1040.ca).

It's far cry from his first Western Hockey League go-around with the Red Deer Rebels. The 19-year-old felt more like a pig in the middle last season, seeing limited ice time and posting just three goals and 11 points in 62 games under Brent Sutter.

"Definitely, it's like a dream sequence," said Pighin, who was leading the BCHL with 42 points in 21 games before jumping on board with the Bruins in early November. "It's all just hit me at once. The door was open there and I kind of came through at the right time. That's just how things work in hockey every once in a while and it feels awesome."

While Pighin's talent showed at times early on with Chilliwack -- he had seven points in his first 10 games -- the club's recent four-game winning streak has coincided with a gluttonous go for the top unit.

Moller has 12 points in four games, Santorelli has 11, and the trio has left a few goalies twitching -- in the fetal position.

Before Pighin arrived, head coach Jim Hiller tried a grittier look on the first line with Cody Smuk, then tinkered for a few games with little success.

"It's been tough to find a third guy, we were switching around a lot," said Moller. "With Evan here it feels good. He goes to the net a lot and Mark and I shoot a lot of pucks. We can all still make plays but we've got to score some greasy goals too."

Added Santorelli: "It was kind of hard to get chemistry early on [in the season], but with Evan we've gotten used to his style and it's easy to read off each other."

Pighin is coming off his best game in a 6-3 win over the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound winger scored twice -- one into an empty net -- and added two assists against the Cougars. Plus, the Vancouver native dropped the gloves with defenceman Kalvin Sagert who took exception to Pighin's whack on his goalie.

Sagert is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds.

"It just kind of happened," Pighin chuckled. "Heat of the moment, I guess. He wanted to go with me and I said why not? It's good fun every once in a while."

Pighin, of course, had an idea of how good Moller and Santorelli were before arriving in Chilliwack but playing on a line with them has enhanced his appreciation.

"My first game, I gave Moller the puck in our zone and he went end-to-end for a highlight-reel goal," he recalled. "He went through four of their guys and buried the puck. I think that was the easiest assist I've ever had. I thought, 'Wow, I could get used to this.'"

Judging by his play of late, he is.

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GAME TIME

Medicine Hat Tigers at Chilliwack Bruins

Saturday, 7 p.m., Prospera Centre, team1040.ca