Date Posted: April 8, 2011
Print Edition: April 8, 2011
By Matthew Tanner (Resident Bruins Expert) – Email
Most of us have seen the movie Slapshot, and many of us love it. The struggling Charlestown Chiefs capture the hearts and minds of their fans, moments before being sold and relocated by a greedy owner, ripping the team away from those so endeared to them. What the fans went through supporting their team, even though all hope seemed lost is what Chilliwack Bruins fans have been living in themselves the last few months. The big difference between the Bruins and the fictional Chiefs is that the Chiefs went on a Hollywood fairytale run in the playoffs, winning the Championship. Reality and Hollywood are two different worlds that didn’t collide for the Bruins faithful.
The Chilliwack Bruins, amid numerous rumours of the team being sold and relocated to Victoria, continued their first round playoff series against the Spokane Chiefs. The Bruins, down 2-0 in the series, rolled into the visitors’ arena and stole a victory from the jaws of defeat. The Bruins rallied back from a three goal deficit to win the game in overtime 4-3. The big heroes on the night were Lucas Gore, who made 54 saves, and Kevin Sundher, who scored the game tying and winning goals for the Bruins. This game was a must win for the Chilliwack squad.
The next night the Bruins kept it close, as they had in most of the series, but didn’t have enough to pull out the win. The Bruins, pressuring in the late third period and down by a goal, were pushing Spokane to their limits, but the Chiefs didn’t buckle under the pressure. With 49 seconds left, Chiefs forward Steven Kuhn scored an empty net goal. The game ended with Spokane winning 4-2.
So, it all came down to game five in Spokane. By this point, the rumours of the team being sold had reached a boiling point with Chilliwack Bruins minority-owner Moray Keith confirming that an agreement of sale to Victoria based RG Properties was in place. The focus had shifted from a hope that the team would win the series to a longing for just one more home game at the Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. Thousands of Bruins fans listened and watched, praying and hoping for the Bruins to win game five so that a proper send off could occur – a final goodbye to the team and players they had so vigourously supported over five years. The Bruins tied the game at 3-3 in the second, after falling behind early. Spokane found a way to get a fourth goal on Lucas Gore. Early in the third period the “Cardiac Kids” came back to tie the game again, as Minnesota Wild draft pick Dylen McKinlay evened the game up at 4-4. Just minutes later, the Bruins got the chance they were waiting for. Brandon Manning, with room at the point, wound up for a blistering slapshot. The puck was on goal, beat the goaltender, but at the last moment ricocheted off the crossbar and out of play. The next shift the Spokane Chiefs Blake Gal scored the game winning goal, his third of the night.
Bruins play-by-play man Randy Merkley’s voice could be heard cracking, almost as if he knew he had just called his last Chilliwack Bruins game. In the post game show, the fans fears were confirmed. Assistant coach Enio Sacilotto thanked and apologized to the fans for what was happening. Sacilotto said “The fans here deserve better, but that’s out of my hands.”
