Calgary, AB -- The quest for Western Hockey League supremacy and a chance to join the Brandon Wheat Kings and compete in the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Brandon, MB, continues as the 2010 Husky WHL Eastern Conference and Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship series’ begin on Friday, April 16.
For the second straight season, the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship series will feature a battle between the Calgary Hitmen and the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The Hitmen won last year’s Conference final meeting, defeating the Wheat Kings in four straight to advance to the 2009 WHL Championship series, which they would lose to the Kelowna Rockets. The Memorial Cup host Wheat Kings will be looking for revenge as they continue their quest to get to the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament through the front door as WHL Champs.
The Tri-City Americans will be facing off against the Vancouver Giants in the 2010 Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship series, marking the first playoff encounter between the two franchises.
The Americans won the U.S. Division and Western Conference regular-season titles, and have carried their strong play through the first two rounds of the post-season. The Giants, winners of their fifth straight B.C. Division crown, have plowed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, thanks to a dynamite offense, and find themselves in the Western Conference final for a second straight year.
Here's a look at the Husky WHL Eastern and Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship series’. Also attached.
HUSKY WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) CALGARY HITMEN vs (2) BRANDON WHEAT KINGS
2009-10 regular-season record: (W-L-OTL-SOL, PTS)
Calgary: 52-17-1-2, 107pts
Brandon: 50-18-1-3, 104pts
2009-10 head-to-head record:
Calgary: 1-3-0-0, 2pts
Brandon: 3-0-0-1, 7pts
2009-10 head-to-head top scorers:
Calgary:
Kris Foucault 4gp-2g-2a-4pts
Tyler Shattock 4gp-2g-2a-4pts
Brandon:
Matt Calvert 4gp-5g-1a-6pts
Scott Glennie 4gp-2g-4a-6pts
The Calgary Hitmen and the Brandon Wheat Kings meet up in the post-season for the fourth time in six seasons, and for the second consecutive year in the WHL Eastern Conference final. In 2009, Brett Sonne and the Hitmen beat Brayden Schenn and the Wheat Kings four games to none in the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship series.
The Hitmen are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference final, having lost to Medicine Hat in 2007 and Lethbridge in 2008, then defeating the Wheat Kings last season. The Hitmen have had a tougher road to the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship series this season than they did last year when they swept their way to the 2009 WHL Championship series. After a hard-fought, come-from-behind seven-game first round series win over the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Hitmen needed six games to tame the Medicine Hat Tigers in the second round. Offensively, the Hitmen have enjoyed balanced production, with 14 different players having scored through the first two rounds and seven players who have at least four goals in the post-season. While stars like Brandon Kozun, Joel Broda and Tyler Shattock continue to produce, it’s been the likes of Cody Sylvester, Kris Foucault and Jimmy Bubnick who have helped spread out the scoring. Defensively, the Hitmen have tightened up since the opening round, and allowed only 14 goals in six games versus the Tigers. They will need to be at their absolute best to slow down the Wheat Kings’ lethal offense. Staying out of the penalty box will go a long way in keeping the goals-against down versus Brandon. Martin Jones has not had to steal any post-season games for the Hitmen, so far. However, he will likely be called upon to come up big on more than one occasion versus the Wheat Kings.
The Wheat Kings are making their second consecutive appearance in the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship series, having swept the Swift Current Broncos in the first round before handling a very strong Saskatoon Blades team in six games in the second round. Throughout the regular season and the playoffs, the story for the Wheat Kings has been their dynamic and dangerous offense. Having led the WHL by a good margin in goals-for during the regular season, the Wheaties are averaging 4.3 goals per game in the playoffs and appear, at times, to be able to score at will. The team boasts six players who are averaging a point per game or better in the post-season, and they own a power play that is operating at a 30.0 per cent clip through 10 playoff games. Up against a tough Hitmen defense, the Wheat Kings will need to use their offensive depth to keep up their high-scoring ways. Defensively, the Wheat Kings have allowed an average of three goals per game in the post-season. Fortunately, they’ve been able to outscore their opponents more often than not. Penalty killing has been a strength for the Wheaties in the playoffs, as the team owns the best penalty killing success rate of any team still in the playoffs. They will need to maintain their strong PK to nullify Calgary’s potent power play. Jacob DeSerres has been in net for seven of the team’s eight playoff victories. Like Calgary’s Martin Jones, DeSerres has not had to steal a win for the Wheat Kings, so far. Yet, he’s managed to do what he has needed to in order to get the victories.
Series Schedule
#1 - Brandon @ Calgary; Friday, April 16 (7:00pm MT)
#2 - Brandon @ Calgary; Saturday, April 17 (7:00pm MT)
#3 - Calgary @ Brandon; Tuesday, April 20 (7:00pm CT)
#4 - Calgary @ Brandon; Wednesday, April 21 (7:00pm CT)
#5 - Brandon @ Calgary; Friday, April 23 (7:00pm MT)**
#6 - Calgary @ Brandon; Sunday, April 25 (6:00pm CT)**
#7 - Brandon @ Calgary; Tuesday, April 27 (7:00pm MT)**
** - if necessary
KAL TIRE WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) TRI-CITY AMERICANS vs (5) VANCOUVER GIANTS
2009-10 regular-season record: (W-L-OTL-SOL, PTS)
Tri-City: 47-22-1-2, 97pts
Vancouver: 41-25-3-3, 88pts
2009-10 head-to-head record:
Tri-City: 4-0-0-0, 8pts
Vancouver: 0-3-0-1, 1pts
2009-10 head-to-head top scorers:
Tri-City:
Brendan Shinnimin 4gp-4g-3a-7pts
Adam Hughesman 4gp-2g-5a-7pts
Vancouver:
James Henry 4gp-0g-4a-4pts
Neil Manning 4gp-2g-1a-3pts
The Vancouver Giants and Tri-City Americans meet up for their first ever playoff series.
The Americans are making their second appearance in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship series in the last three years, having defeated the Chilliwack Bruins in six games in the opening round before downing the defending WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets in five games in the second round. The Americans have averaged 3.64 goals per game through the first two rounds of the playoffs, which is the lowest offensive output of the four remaining teams. However, they have plenty of speed, skill and depth up front, with 14 players who have found the back of the net through 11 games. Having owned the second-best power play during the regular season, the Ams hope to take advantage of a Giants’ penalty killing unit that has struggled during the playoffs. Defensively, the Americans have allowed the fewest number of goals of any of the remaining teams. Yet, the Ams have yet to face an offense as dangerous as that of the Giants. Tyler Schmidt and the Ams’ defense corps will need to find a way to slow down Vancouver’s red-hot trio of Craig Cunningham, Brendan Gallagher and Lance Bouma if they want to move on. Netminder Drew Owsley has been impressive through 11 playoff contests, posting a solid .930 save percentage and a 2.23 GAA. Owsley also enjoyed success versus the Giants during the regular season, winning all three of his starts and posting a .923 save percentage in the process.
The Giants are making their second straight appearance in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship series, having swept the Kamloops Blazers in the first round before toppling the Portland Winterhawks in six games in the second round. Offensively, the Giants have been on fire, scoring an average of five goals per game through rounds one and two. The team boasts eight players with 10 or more points in the post-season, and five players with five or more goals. Craig Cunningham, Lance Bouma and Brendan Gallagher have been near unstoppable in the playoffs, combining for 23 goals and 51 points in 10 games. They will be charged with trying to break through a solid Americans’ defense and the goaltending of Drew Owsley. Defensively, the Giants have allowed an average of 3.6 goals-against per game in the post-season. Having faced two strong offenses in Kamloops and Portland, the Giants will now have to find a way to contain the tremendous speed and skill of the Americans. Improving upon their 68.2 per cent penalty killing success rate will be crucial for the Giants to have a chance to beat the Americans. Goaltender Mark Segal may not have the numbers that his counterpart, Owlsey, boasts. However, Segal has found a way to get the job done when it comes to putting up wins. The 18-year-old faced plenty of rubber versus the Winterhawks, and saved his best performance for the team’s series-clinching Game 6 win.
Series Schedule (All Start Times Local)
#1 – Vancouver @ Tri-City; Friday, April 16 (7:05pm)
#2 – Vancouver @ Tri-City; Saturday, April 17 (7:35pm)
#3 – Tri-City @ Vancouver; Tuesday, April 20 (7:00pm)
#4 – Tri-City @ Vancouver; Thursday, April 22 (7:00pm)
#5 – Vancouver @ Tri-City; Saturday, April 24 (1:00pm)**
#6 – Tri-City @ Vancouver; Monday, April 26 (7:00pm)**
#7 – Vancouver @ Tri-City; Tuesday, April 27 (7:05pm)**
** - if necessary
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