After Friday night’s 4-2 home-ice win over the Kelowna Rockets, Chilliwack Bruins head coach and GM Marc Habscheid stood outside the dressing room with a mischievous grin on his face.

Someone pointed out the fact that he was now undefeated at 1-0, to which he quickly replied, with tongue firmly in cheek, ‘Start planning the parade route.’

While a pair of weekend wins over Kelowna — Chilliwack beat the Rockets 2-1 in Kelowna Saturday night — have the pre-season off to a flying start, Habscheid is a realist.

In the grand scheme, the final score of a game in August means the square root of squat. Wins and losses are meaningless at this point.

“It was a good evaluation and good to get those two games under our belt and see where we’re at,” Habscheid said. “It was important to see the guys in game situations. All of us have played with guys who are unreal in practice, and then they’re completely different in games. Some guys helped themselves this weekend, and some of them didn’t.”

Two guys who clearly didn’t do enough were cut loose Monday morning.

Mike Krgovic (19 years old) and Josh Schappert (20) were sent packing, leaving the team with 27 bodies.

One guy who may have earned himself a longer look is 19-year-old forward Isak Quakenbush.

The ex-Seattle Thunderbird was noticeable Friday night, picking up an empty net goal, a slashing penalty and two goalie interference minors.

He was the most physical player on the ice for either team, and did what he had to do to catch the eyes of the coaching staff.

“We’re looking at ability to a certain extent, but moreso we’re wondering if they’re willing to take or give a hit to make a play,” Habscheid said, without commenting on Quakenbush specifically. “Are they willing to block a shot and do what it takes to win? Those intangibles can be hard to find.”

Habscheid declined to comment on any players who may have impressed, citing a desire to guard against complacency. But those in attendance Friday night also had to be impressed with the duo of Ryan Howse and Czech import Roman Horak.

Howse scored a goal in highlight reel fashion, skating laterally and pulling the puck inside two Kelowna defencemen before snapping a shot past Rockets keeper Adam Brown.

Horak picked up a goal of his own, sniping home the rebound of a Mitch McColm point shot.

The Czech showed good wheels and a willingness to shoot the puck from anywhere, and it looks like he could be a nifty fit alongside Howse.

“We’ve got a pretty good idea those two are going to be on the team, so for them, exhibition games can be utilized to find those types of combinations and see what works,” Habscheid said. “Chemistry is a difficult thing, because sometimes you think two guys are going to play awesome together, and they don’t. Then there’s a combination you think has no chance of working, and it does.”

The Bruins face the Kamloops Blazers tomorrow night at the Hope Arena(7 p.m.).