It’s time to start the Western Hockey League post-season dance.
And with the puck ready to drop on Round 1, here’s a look at the first-round matchups and bold predictions.
Western Conference
Portland Winterhawks (50-19-0-3) vs. Everett Silvertips (28-33-7-4)
Leading scorers:
Winterhawks: Ryan Johansen has tallied 40 goals and 92 points in 63 games to place seventh overall in league scoring.
Silvertips: Tyler Maxwell has lent a hot hand in the goal-scoring department with 41 in 68 games.
Goaltenders:
Winterhawks: Mac Carruth has posted a 31-13-0-1 regular season along with a .913 save percentage.
Silvertips: Kent Simpson cracked the 20-win barrier thanks to a 21-20-5-4 record along with a .916 save percentage.
Season series: The Winterhawks won the season series between the two teams 7-1.
Prediction: The Winterhawks come into the playoffs on an 8-2-0-0 clip, while the Silvertips limped into the post season at 1-7-2-0. Portland in four.
Kelowna Rockets (43-28-0-1) vs. Prince George Cougars (33-35-2-2)
Leading scorers:
Rockets: Second on the team in assists, Shane McCoglan has also scored 21 goals and 66 points in 67 games.
Cougars: Brett Connolly flirted with the 50-goal mark with 46 and finished with 73 points in 59 games.
Goaltenders:
Rockets: Adam Brown put up a 36-22-0-1 record to go along with a .916 save percentage.
Cougars: Ty Rimmer went 19-22-0-2 during the regular season, while James Priestner provided solid support with a 15-14-0-2 record.
Season series: Some of the Rockets wins were by three or more goals, others decided by one or two, but the Rockets won the season series 6-3.
Prediction: The Cougars win one at home, but the Rockets take this series in five.
Spokane Chiefs (48-18-4-2) vs. Chilliwack Bruins (33-31-4-4)
Leading scorers:
Chiefs: Tyler Johnson broke the 50-goal barrier with 53 goals and 115 points in 71 games.
Bruins: Another 50-goal scorer, Ryan Howse scored 51 goals and 83 points in 70 games.
Goaltenders:
Chiefs: James Reid went 36-9-2-1 with a .902 save percentage
Bruins: Lucas Gore was Chilliwack’s go-to guy with a 31-23.3-4 record and .911 save percentage.
Season series: Chilliwack won the first regular season meeting between the two teams 2-1, but Spokane won the remaining games to take the season series 3-1.
Prediction: In the battle between the two 50-goal scorers, the Chiefs prevail in five games.
Tri-City Americans (44-24-2-2) vs. Vancouver Giants (35-32-1-4)
Leading scorers:
Americans: Brendan Shinnimin posted 96 points in 60 games to finish tied for fifth in league scoring
Giants: Brendan Gallagher scored 44 goals for 91 points in 66 games, good for eighth in league scoring.
Goaltenders:
Americans: Drew Owsley’s .912 save percentage helped him to a 36-17-1-1 record.
Giants: Mark Segal went 27-18-1-3 in the regular season with a .891 save percentage.
Season series: The Giants sole win over the Americans was 5-0 shutout, but the Americans won the other three games to earn a 3-1 season series win.
Prediction: Vancouver won two of their last 10 regular season games, while Tri-City went 7-3-0-0. With Owsley in the pipes, the Americans prevail in five.
Eastern Conference
Saskatoon Blades (56-13-1-2) vs. Prince Albert Raiders (33-35-2-2).
Leading scorers:
Blades: Marek Viedensky notched 88 points in 63 games on a Blades roster with spread out scoring.
Raiders: Jonathan Parker hit for 45 goals and 86 points in 71 games.
Goaltenders:
Blades: Steven Stanford went a staggering 40-5-0-0 with a .910 save percentage
Raiders: Eric Williams was 17-17-1-1, while Jamie Tucker went 14-19-1-2
Season series: The Blades first two wins of the season were one-goal decisions over Prince Albert, but Saskatoon went on to win the season series 6-1.
Prediction: This one will be over quick, Blades in four.
Red Deer Rebels (48-16-4-4) vs. Edmonton Oil Kings (31-34-2-5)
Leading scorers:
Rebels: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 75 assists put him over the 100-point mark with 106 in 69 games.
Oil Kings: Dylan Wruck struck for 38 goals and 78 points in 71 games.
Goaltenders:
Rebels: Darcy Kuemper posted a league-leading 45 wins and .933 save percentage.
Oil Kings: Laurent Brossoit went 13-12-0-2, while Jon Groenheyde was 15-19-2-3.
Season series: The Oil Kings managed a 3-0 shutout win over Red Deer, but the rest was all Rebels in a 5-1 season series win.
Prediction:
Hats off to the Oil Kings for their post-season berth after a 16-win season in 2009-2010, but the Rebels prevail in five.
Medicine Hat Tigers (46-18-4-4) vs. Brandon Wheat Kings (32-31-1-8)
Leading scorers:
Tigers: Linden Vey scored 46 goals and 70 assists to lead the league with 116 points in 69 games.
Wheat Kings: Mark Stone also broke the 100-point mark with 106 in 71 games.
Goaltenders:
Tigers: Tyler Bunz went 35-4-4 with a 2.47 goals-against average, good for third in the league.
Wheat Kings: Liam Liston reached 20 wins with a 20-16-0-1 record
Season series: The teams split their season series 2-2
Prediction: The Wheat Kings finished the season at 7-2-0-1, but goaltending will be the difference. Tigers in six.
Kootenay Ice (46-21-1-4) vs. Moose Jaw Warriors (40-26-2-4)
Leading scorers:
Ice: Acquired from the Swift Current Broncos, Cody Eakin tallied 36 goals and 83 points in 56 games with Kootenay.
Warriors: Dylan Hood hit for 33 goals and 83 points in 71 games.
Goaltenders:
Ice: Nathan Lieuwen was 33-16-1-3 with a 2.79 goals-against average, good for ninth in the league.
Warriors: Thomas Heemskerk was a solid 36-21-2-4. His 36 wins have him tied for third in the league with Brown and Owsley.
Season series: The teams each took two games off of each other.
Prediction: Probably the closest first-round series in the league and will probably go the distance. Warriors in seven.
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