A long regular season is over and the 2017 WHL playoffs get underway this weekend.
Seven of the eight game ones will be played on Friday, including the opener between the Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers at Prospera Place.
With the heated playoff action right around the corner, here’s KelownaNow’s round one preview, with a focus around the Rockets’ series.
B.C. Division
(2) Kelowna Rockets vs (3) Kamloops Blazers
Stage set for BC Interior war as @Kelowna_Rockets square off with @blazerhockey to open #WHLPlayoffs.
— #WHLPlayoffs (@TheWHL) March 19, 2017
DETAILS 🏆 | https://t.co/nIoTwml1Cg pic.twitter.com/8nRrvX1Lxl
A rematch of last year’s first round playoff matchup, this should be another long, tough series for both teams.
The Rockets have had their struggles with the Blazers this year, posting just a 4-6 record in 10 regular season matchups, but their final meeting of the season was a convincing 8-2 win for Kelowna.
The two teams are a pretty even matchup up front and it’s probably fair to give the edge on the blueline to the Rockets, but the major factor in this series will be goaltending.
Connor Ingram will guard the crease for Kamloops, coming off a great season that included time with the Canadian World Junior team.
On the Rockets side, Michael Herringer will be the guy to start the playoffs, but he’s had his up and downs this year.
While Herringer’s stats may not compare to Ingrams on the season, the overage goaltender has proven in the past that he can get hot at the right times.
If that’s the case, and Herringer can steal a game or two for the Rockets, they should be able to handle the Blazers in this series.
PREDICTION: Rockets in 7 (there might be a little bias here, but this series is going to seven games either way)
(1) Prince George Cougars vs (WC1) Portland Winterhawks
For the third time ever the Cats will battle the @pdxwinterhawks in a playoff series. Game 1 goes Friday at home. Game 2 Saturday.#PGvsPOR pic.twitter.com/yJOCWktYfg
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) March 20, 2017
The Prince George Cougars had a banner year, winning their first ever B.C. Division title in the process.
Their reward for winning the division? A long, long bus trip to Portland for their first round playoff matcup with the Winterhawks.
Luckily for the Cougars, the first two games are in Prince George and if they get the series done as quickly as they’d like, they won’t have to make more than one trip south of the border.
The Cougars are poised for a bit of a playoff run this year and the Winterhawks won’t be the ones to stand in their way.
PREDICTION: Cougars in 6
U.S. Division
(1) Everett Silvertips vs (WC2) Victoria Royals
PLAYOFFS! Tips clinch Western Conference #1 spot, face Victoria starting in Everett this Friday.
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 20, 2017
SERIES INFO: https://t.co/u8rVvA4948 pic.twitter.com/4SU49yXxgn
The top team in the Western Conference this year was the Everett Silvertips and they’ll be taking on the Victoria Royals in the first round.
This series will likely be a low scoring one and a battle between Silvertips’ goalie Carter Hart and Royals’ goalie Griffen Outhouse.
Everett is relatively hot heading into the playoffs, whereas Victoria couldn’t buy a win down the stretch, which has this looking like it could be a quick series.
PREDICTION: Silvertips in 5
(2) Seattle Thunderbirds vs (3) Tri-City Americans
PLAYOFFS: T-Birds To Face @TCAmericans In First Round of Playoffs https://t.co/O3x0kbml3l pic.twitter.com/KIeNnoSJs5
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) March 20, 2017
The Tri-City Americans got a win and some help to leapfrog the Portland Winterhawks in the standings on the final day of the season.
That earned them a date with the Seattle Thunderbirds instead of having to take on the west’s number one seed in Everett.
They’re still in tough, however, and if the Americans want any chance of winning this series they’ll need to find a way to shut down Matthew Barzal, who had 79 points in just 41 games this season.
PREDICTION: Thunderbirds in 4
East Division
(1) Regina Pats vs (WC2) Calgary Hitmen
#WHLPlayoffs Preview: @WHLPats (1) vs. @WHLHitmen (WC2)#REGvsCGY 🏆 | https://t.co/NoTKcSHGo9 pic.twitter.com/x5xWWtIQ8x
— #WHLPlayoffs (@TheWHL) March 21, 2017
There isn’t much to say about this series because it will be over quickly.
The Regina Pats were the best team in the league this year and looked unstoppable at times, led by the league’s top two scorers, Sam Steel and Adam Brooks.
The Hitmen, on the other hand, have the lowest point total of any playoff team and only had one player break the 60 point plateau, whereas the Pats had six players hit that mark.
PREDICTION: Pats in 4
(2) Moose Jaw Warriors vs (3) Swift Current Broncos
Warriors playoff tickets for Games 1 & 2 go on sale this morning at 10am at the Mosaic Place Box Office pic.twitter.com/2rHgZXHGWT
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) March 20, 2017
This could be one of the best series in the first round of the playoffs.
The Moose Jaw Warriors finished with five more points than the Swift Current Broncos this season, but the Broncos were one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch.
If Swift Current can find a way to shut down Jayden Halbgewachs, Brayden Burke, Brett Howden and the rest of Moose Jaw’s high flying offense, they have a great chance to pull off the upset in this series.
PREDICTION: Broncos in 7
Central Division
(1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs (WC1) Brandon Wheat Kings
With the playoffs around the corner take a look at our first round playoff preview vs. @bdnwheatkings
— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) March 21, 2017
READ: https://t.co/qAi2xpSvtN pic.twitter.com/yD6e3N3cCq
Last year’s WHL champions nearly missed the playoffs this season, but that shouldn’t stop the Brandon Wheat Kings from being a tough test for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The Wheat Kings are led by the likely first overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick, and the Vegas Golden Knights’ first signed player, Reid Duke, the Wheat Kings will give the Central Division champions a run for their money.
Despite a bit of firepower upfront in Patrick and Duke, Brandon the Wheat Kings won't have enough depth to pull of an upset of Medicine Hat.
PREDICTION: Tigers in 6
(2) Lethbridge Hurricanes vs (3) Red Deer Rebels
#WHLCanes will face the Red Deer Rebels in Round 1! Tix on sale Mar. 18! #AllAboard #30YearsStrong #YQL
— #AllAboard (@WHLHurricanes) March 16, 2017
RELEASE - https://t.co/fEfameCS98 pic.twitter.com/0dCpDSgorz
The other three two vs. three seed matchups in this year’s playoffs are going to be close, but this one could be a four game sweep.
The Hurricanes finished with 22 more points than the Rebels and are led by one of the league’s top scorers in Tyler Wong.
If the Rebels want any chance at winning this series, they need their deadline additions of Austin Glover and Lane Zablocki to step up in a big way.
PREDICTION: Hurricanes in 5
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