by Matthew Tanner (Resident Bruins Expert) – Email
When the Chilliwack Bruins and the Kamloops Blazers meet, it isn’t pleasantries that are exchanged – more likely, it’s fists. The Bruins and Blazers recently picked up where they left off earlier this season, by continuing to pummel each other. The Blazers got the better of the Bruins in their most recent game, however.
The two teams were in a fairly close game through a rough first period with the Blazers leading 2-1. But two Kamloops goals in the second-period and a rock solid goaltending performance by Jeff Bosch left little room for a Chilliwack comeback. Any chance of that happening was dashed with an early third period goal by Dylan Willick, his second of the game. The final outcome was a 5-1 victory for the visiting Blazers.
The game fit the mould of the prior meetings between these two teams this season. The ingredients include goal scoring, bad blood, and massive saves. The first period saw 13 minor penalties alone, and that set the tone for the rest of the game. After getting roughed up along the boards, taking a stick to the chops, and, in general, just being downright disrespected, Bruins star forward Ryan Howse decided it was time to give back. He delivered a massive open ice hit to Blazer’s Colin Smith, sending the Kamloops forward somersaulting to the ice.
It seemed that the game couldn’t get through a play stoppage without a scrum ensuing. In the third period, directly following a hit from Bruins forward Mike Forsyth, 10 pairs of gloves were dropped in a line brawl that would remind you of the old days when the Chilliwack Chiefs “rocked and socked” their way through competition. The game ended with a total of 110 penalty minutes, though the referees never seemed to have a firm grasp on the game. That didn’t stop referee Andy Thiessen from body checking Bruins forward Blair Wentworth into the boards following the aforementioned line brawl.
It was evident earlier this season that these teams just do not like each other, something as true today as it was back then. Even though the Bruins lost the game to the Blazers, they still lead the season series 3-2. These two teams will meet twice more this week in a home-and-home series beginning in Kamloops this Friday. These games will be key to sorting out the playoff picture down the road. Chilliwack is battling Kamloops for one of the last remaining spots in the post-season. The Bruins currently sit one point out of eighth place with 46 points. The Blazers currently occupy that eighth and final spot with 47 points. The good news for the Bruins is that they currently have four games in hand on the Blazers.
Before the Bruins meet up with the Blazers they must battle it out with the Kelowna Rockets. These two teams will then have their own home-and-home series after this coming weekend on February 11 and 12. Success in this coming five-game stretch will be essentail if the Bruins plan on making it into the playoffs this season.
