Bruins 4 Rockets 1

February 9, 2008

Matt Esposito made 22 saves as the visiting Chilliwack Bruins defeated the Kelowna Rockets 4-1 Saturday night.

"We got on them early," Bruins forward Evan Pighin told the Okanagan Sunday.

"I think we had a strong 40 (minutes), and then we made smart plays throughout the third period. They got more shots, but we played well."

Evan Pighin, Oscar Moller, David Robinson and Nick Holden scored for the Bruins, who have six points from their last four games.

Tyson Barrie replied for the Rockets midway through the game. Torrie Jung made nine saves on 12 shots before being replaced early in the second.

Kris Westblom, who allowed a goal on his first shot against, made 10 stops in relief.

"Our discipline early on wasn't where it should be against a team that's got a very good power play," Rockets coach Ryan Huska said. "I thought we pouted a bit until halfway through the second period, and we felt sorry for ourselves."

In the first period Chilliwack converted two of four power plays to take a 2-0 lead after the opening frame.

With Luke Schenn and Brady Leavold in the box, the Bruins capitalized on a 23-second two-man advantage. Brandon Campos faked a shot before hitting Holden with a terrific cross-crease pass, and he had an easy tap-in at the far post at 3:07.

Three minutes later, Brandon McMillan was tagged with a kneeing penalty, and an extra two minutes for arguing. Oscar Moller found a loose puck in the slot, and directed it through traffic and past Jung at 6:35.

Robinson chased Jung from the game 49 seconds into the period when he converted his own rebound at the side of the net. Westblom came into the game, and Pighin welcomed him with another man-advantage goal at 2:10.

Barrie finished off the night's scoring when he rang a point shot off the post at 11:33.