Bruins Clinch Playoff Spot

February 20, 2008

With the Prince George Cougars falling to the Seattle Thunderbirds this evening, the Chilliwack Bruins have clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season.

The Bruins have posted a number of team and personal records so far this season.  As a team, the Bruins have 26 wins on the season to go along with 59 points, exceeding last year’s totals of 25 wins and 57 points.  Mark Santorelli has established a new team record for assists with 63 and points with 86, bettering his totals from last year.  No one over the past two seasons has scored more points in the WHL than Santorelli’s 168.  Nick Holden has established new career highs for points by a Bruin defender, with 18 goals and 47 points so far this season.  Matt Esposito’s 18 wins are 4 better than the team record of 14 that he’ posted one season ago.  All players and the team still have 12 games to improve on these totals as they prepare for the upcoming 2008 WHL Playoffs.

‘This is another great day to be a Bruins fan and a Bruin,’ comments Bruins Director of Marketing Barry Douglas.  ‘The on ice accomplishments only reflect what our fans and our sponsors have delivered to us in their unwavering support and loyalty to the Chilliwack Bruins franchise.  We thank all of our supporters; season ticket holders, corporate sponsors, the casual fan and of course the players and staff of the Bruins for all of their help in achieving this playoff inclusion for the second consecutive season...on to the playoffs!’

The Bruins are en-route to Saskatchewan for their season high seven game road trip which takes the team through the East Division and ends with a date versus the Spokane Chiefs.  The Bruins next home game will be on March 9th versus the Kelowna Rockets...game time for this game is 5 p.m.

WHL Playoff Format

The Western Hockey League will be implementing a new playoff format for the 2007-08 Season. The WHL's Eastern and Western Conferences will use a Conference playoff format for the upcoming year. The first place teams in the two Divisions in each Conference will receive the top two playoff seeds based on regular season points. The next six Clubs in each Conference, based on regular season points, will receive the 3rd - 8th playoff positions. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5 in a best-of-seven series.

The first place Clubs in each Division will be guaranteed the top two playoff seeds in the first round. As in previous seasons, the format for the remaining three rounds of the WHL Playoffs will remain the same. The four Clubs winning first round series in each Conference will advance to the second round, where they will be ranked in order of regular season points. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 4, and 2 vs. 3 in best of seven series.

The two Clubs winning the second round series in each Conference will advance to the third round (WHL Conference Championships), where they will be ranked in order of regular season points. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 2 in a best of seven series.

The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will advance to the best of seven WHL Championship

Series, with the Club having the most regular season points receiving home ice advantage.