Global Cup

The Global Cup will is awarded to the team that accumulates the most points in head to head competition between the Chilliwack Bruins and Vancouver Giants through the regular season.

Game #1 September 30th, 2007 Chilliwack 3 vs Vancouver 2 SO

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.

Game #2 October 5th, 2007 Chilliwack 5 at Vancouver 4 OT

For the second consecutive game the Bruins and Giants needed extra time to decide a winner and once again it was Mark Santorelli playing the role of hero, scoring the winner at 1:58 of overtime. With the win, the Bruins (5-1-0-0) are now tied with Vancouver (4-0-1-1) for first place in the BC Division.

Colby Kulhanek with his fifth goal of the season opened the scoring at the 3:39 mark of the opening stanza. Brandon Campos and Dylan Chapman earned the assists. Giants Captain Spencer Machacek evened the score on the powerplay just under three minutes later. Jadon Potter scored his second of the season on the powerplay at 15:27 to give Chilliwack a 2-1 lead. With just 1:14 left in the first period Giants forward Mike Reich knocked home a loose puck to even the score at two after twenty minutes of play.

In the second period, newly acquired Brandon Campos scored goals at 15:25 and 18:15 to give Chilliwack a two goal lead. Once again it was Mike Reich with a late period goal, bringing the Giants to within one with 1:08 remaining in the middle frame.

Michal Repik scored the only goal of the third period with just under five minutes remaining in the period, sending the game into overtime.

Vancouver outshot Chilliwack 34-15. The Bruins were 2/4 on the powerplay. The Giants were 1/8. Matt Esposito made thirty saves to earn his fifth victory of the season. Tyson Sexsmith made ten saves in a losing cause for the Giants.

Ice Chips: Colby Kulhanek continued his torrid streak to start the season scoring once and adding two assists. Kulhanek now has five goals and nine points in the early going...Mark Santorelli picked up an assist in addition to his overtime winner and improved his point streak to six games..The game was delayed for approximately fifteen minutes during the first period when a fire broke out in the rafters of Pacific Coliseum...Brandon Campos scored twice and added an assist in his first game with the Buirns. Campos was claimed on waivers from the Everett Silvertips earlier in the week..Chilliwack now leads the Global Cup standings four points to two.

Game #3 October 14th Vancouver 4 at Chilliwack 0

Box Score

The Vancouver Giants got goals from Mike Reich, Chris Cloud, Spencer Machacek and Michal Repik and goaltender Tyson Sexsmith made 18 saves as the Giants defeated the home town Bruins 4-0 Sunday night.

The Giants fore-checking was their key to victory, drawing numerous penalties and stifling the Bruins at almost every turn.  The Giants power play went an impressive 3/7 tonight and their penalty kill was a perfect 5/5, thanks largely to timely saves from Tyson Sexsmith, who made some notable saves against Nick Holden and Oscar Moller among others on the Bruins power play.

Matt Esposito takes the loss for the Bruins, as both his record and the Bruins fall to 7-3 on the season. 

With the victory, Vancouver moves to 7-1-1-1 on the season and takes over top spot in the BC Division and Western Conference.  The Giants victory also ties the Global Cup Challenge at four points apiece as the Bruins fall to 2-1 in the season series, the Giants move their record to 1-0-1-1 in the head to head series.

Game #4 November 4th Vancouver 3 at Chilliwack 1

Michal Repik scored his 10th and 11th goals of the season to lead the visiting Vancouver Giants to a 3-1 victory over the Chilliwack Bruins on Sunday.

Lance Bouma also scored for the Giants (13-4-1-2), who pick up their second straight win, while Jonathon Blum and Mario Bliznak each chipped in a pair of assists. Tyson Sexsmith made 19 saves to earn his 13th win of the season. The victory leaves the Giants seven points clear in first place in the B.C. Division.

Oscar Moller – with his league-leading 18th of the season – scored the lone goal for the Bruins (10-6-2-0), who suffer their third straight defeat. Matt Esposito made 25 stops in the loss. With the setback, the Bruins remain four points ahead of Kelowna for second place in the B.C. Division.

Game #5 November 16th Vancouver 2 vs Chilliwack 1 OT

Box Score

Jonathan Blum's goal with 76 seconds to go in overtime gave the Vancouver Giants a 2-1 win over the Chilliwack Bruins Friday night in Vancouver.

Michel Repik took a pass from Mario Bliznak in the offensive zone, and after Repik's shot was blocked, Blum stepped into a shot that beat Bruins goaltender Matt Esposito through a screen.

Evan Pighin scored his first of the year for Chilliwack in the second period. Mario Bliznak responded for Vancouver.

Tyson Sexsmith made 18 saves in the winning effort. Matt Esposito stopped 31 pucks to draw the overtime loss. Esposito was named the third star in the game.

After a scoreless first, Chilliwack (13-7-3-0) struck first. Santorelli's shot was blocked by a Giants defenceman but the puck went right to Pighin who rifled the puck just under the bar, top corner, beating Sexsmith glove side at the 6:08 mark of the second frame.

Less than six minutes later the Giants (17-4-1-2) got on the board when Bliznak deflected Jonathon Blum's rising point shot past Esposito to knot the game at one. Brent Regner drew the second assist on Bliznak's third of the year at 11:33.

Game #6 December 14th Vancouver 5 at Chilliwack 1

Box Score

The Vancouver Giants (23-7-1-3) raced out to a 4-0 first period lead and held on to defeat the Chilliwack Bruins (17-14-3-1) 5-1 in Chilliwack Friday night. 

Giants forward Evander Kane, the game’s first star, notched two goals for the Giants, both in the first period. Mike Berube, Craig Schira and Lance Bouma had the other Giants tallies while Bruins forward Evan Pighin was the only player to beat Giants net minder Tyson Sexsmith.

Vancouver led 4-0 after one and 5-1 after two. Chilliwack went 0/8 on the power play, the Giants were 2/8.

Chilliwack netminder Matt Esposito was replaced by Mark Friesen after the first period.

Tyson Sexsmith made 20 saves to earn the victory for Vancouver.