scamperdog
10-21-2006, 09:15 AM
Rockets light up late
By Doyle Potenteau
Saturday, October 21, 2006, 12:01 AM
www.kelownadailycourier.com
If the Chilliwack Bruins had their way, they’d play the Kelowna Rockets more than eight times this season. A lot more.
Craig Cuthbert scored twice, including an empty-net goal with one minute remaining, as the Rockets completed an unlikely comeback on Friday, scoring five times in the final 20 minutes for a 5-2 victory over the expansion Bruins. Chilliwack controlled the first 40 and were unlucky not to hold a four-goal lead heading into the third period.
“Not getting the third one, that definitely hurt us,” Bruins head coach Jim Hiller said following his team’s late collapse. “Getting the fourth would have certainly helped . . . we had a lot of shots and power plays in the second.
“Kelowna is a young team like us, too, and they don’t have the high-end guys they have in the past. So I think we match up pretty good with them.”
Mark Santorelli, with his fifth of the season, and Josh Aspenlind, with his first, scored for Chilliwack (1-10-1-0), whose only win of the season came against Kelowna, 3-1 in season-opening action on Sept. 21. Kaspars Saulietis, Kirt Hill and Clayton Barthel replied for Kelowna (4-6-0-2), which trailed 2-0 after the first and second periods.
Alex Archibald stopped 25 shots for the Bruins, who were outshot 30-27 before a standing-room only crowd of 6,109. Kris Westblom made 25 saves for the Rockets, who visit the Kamloops Blazers this evening. Game time is 7 p.m.
“We came out slow, right from the pre-game warmup,” said Cuthbert.
“It seemed quieter than usual and I didn’t think the guys were ready to go. We can’t have that, no matter who were playing.
“We know they’re going to come to this rink and give their best. We have to be ready . . . we let them off the hook for the first two periods. You can’t have a let-up like that for two periods. We were lucky to get away with this one.”
ICE CHIPS: Kelowna’s scratches were C Chris Ray (chest, day-to-day), D Riley McIntosh, LW Evan Bloodoff and LW Matthew Brusciano. Chilliwack’s scratches were G Jim Watt (knee, day-to-day), D Nick Holden (concussion, indefinite), D Cam Stevens and C Matt Cline (concussion, indefinite). . . . Kelowna was 2-for-8 on the power play. Chilliwack was 2-6. . . . The three stars were all from Kelowna, Cuthbert, Saulietis and Westblom. . . . In the game’s lone fight, Kelowna’s James McEwan got the better of Chilliwack’s Partik Bhungal in their brief, early first-period scrap. After a faceoff near Kelowna’ s bench, the two combatants quickly dropped their gloves and began throwing. The fight didn’t last long, just six punches with McEwan landing all four, including a hard left to finish the fight, and Bhungal taking a trip to Chilliwack’s dressing room. He did not return to action.
By Doyle Potenteau
Saturday, October 21, 2006, 12:01 AM
www.kelownadailycourier.com
If the Chilliwack Bruins had their way, they’d play the Kelowna Rockets more than eight times this season. A lot more.
Craig Cuthbert scored twice, including an empty-net goal with one minute remaining, as the Rockets completed an unlikely comeback on Friday, scoring five times in the final 20 minutes for a 5-2 victory over the expansion Bruins. Chilliwack controlled the first 40 and were unlucky not to hold a four-goal lead heading into the third period.
“Not getting the third one, that definitely hurt us,” Bruins head coach Jim Hiller said following his team’s late collapse. “Getting the fourth would have certainly helped . . . we had a lot of shots and power plays in the second.
“Kelowna is a young team like us, too, and they don’t have the high-end guys they have in the past. So I think we match up pretty good with them.”
Mark Santorelli, with his fifth of the season, and Josh Aspenlind, with his first, scored for Chilliwack (1-10-1-0), whose only win of the season came against Kelowna, 3-1 in season-opening action on Sept. 21. Kaspars Saulietis, Kirt Hill and Clayton Barthel replied for Kelowna (4-6-0-2), which trailed 2-0 after the first and second periods.
Alex Archibald stopped 25 shots for the Bruins, who were outshot 30-27 before a standing-room only crowd of 6,109. Kris Westblom made 25 saves for the Rockets, who visit the Kamloops Blazers this evening. Game time is 7 p.m.
“We came out slow, right from the pre-game warmup,” said Cuthbert.
“It seemed quieter than usual and I didn’t think the guys were ready to go. We can’t have that, no matter who were playing.
“We know they’re going to come to this rink and give their best. We have to be ready . . . we let them off the hook for the first two periods. You can’t have a let-up like that for two periods. We were lucky to get away with this one.”
ICE CHIPS: Kelowna’s scratches were C Chris Ray (chest, day-to-day), D Riley McIntosh, LW Evan Bloodoff and LW Matthew Brusciano. Chilliwack’s scratches were G Jim Watt (knee, day-to-day), D Nick Holden (concussion, indefinite), D Cam Stevens and C Matt Cline (concussion, indefinite). . . . Kelowna was 2-for-8 on the power play. Chilliwack was 2-6. . . . The three stars were all from Kelowna, Cuthbert, Saulietis and Westblom. . . . In the game’s lone fight, Kelowna’s James McEwan got the better of Chilliwack’s Partik Bhungal in their brief, early first-period scrap. After a faceoff near Kelowna’ s bench, the two combatants quickly dropped their gloves and began throwing. The fight didn’t last long, just six punches with McEwan landing all four, including a hard left to finish the fight, and Bhungal taking a trip to Chilliwack’s dressing room. He did not return to action.