Brown blanks Bruins

Photo curtesy: Marissa Baecker/shootthebreeze.ca

• It would be safe to say Adam Brown loves playing the Chilliwack Bruins. For the third time in his young career the 18 year-old goaltender recorded a shutout against the four year old franchise. Friday night at Prospera Place, Brown made 23 saves in a 3-0 win. Brown has four career shutouts, three against the Bruins. Brown is 6-1-0-0 against the Bruins over his career.
• Brown's best save may have come off a shot from Bruins forward Ryan Howse. Howse picks up the puck at the left face-off circle and snaps a hard shot that goes right off the mask of Brown. Howse has to have one if not the best release in the WHL.
• This game was anything but a back and forth affair. The Rockets had to implement the 'slow and steady wins the race' philosophy. Capitalizing on two power play chances and limiting errors in the defensive zone was text book hockey. It resulted in the Rockets 10th win of the season.
• I liked the Rockets effort in the 3rd period where they limited the Bruins to just five shots and one scoring chance. It also appeared that the Bruins ran out of gas in the third period as they struggled to generate much. A late third period power play by the Bruins really struggled and resulted in an icing call on a missed pass. You are mentally out of sync when you ice the puck on the power play.
• Brandon McMillan again had a strong game. McMillan looked far more comfortable skating on a foot that he cracked about 4 weeks ago. McMillan was skating harder, winning puck battles and enjoying life playing alongside line-mates Lucas Bloodoff and Mitchell Callahan. McMillan had a goal and an assist and was named the 1st star.
• It was nice to see the reaction of Callahan after a spirited fight with Bruins 20 year-old Mitch McColm. After the tilt was over, Callahan slapped McColm on the shoulder for a job well down.
• Mark Friesen had a solid game for the Bruins. The veteran goaltender allowed just two goals, as the Rockets third goal of the evening was into an empty net. Friesen made some good saves in this one.
• The win moves the Rockets into a tie with Everett for 4th place in the Western Conference.