WHL Eastern Division Playoff Preview

1) EDMONTON OIL KINGS vs (8) PRINCE ALBERT
2013-14 regular-season record:
Edmonton: 50-19-2-1, 103pts (L10: 6-4-0-0)
Prince Albert: 35-32-3-2, 75pts (L10: 6-3-1-0)
2013-14 head-to-head record:
Edmonton: 2-1-0-1, 5pts
Prince Albert: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
2013-14 head-to-head top scorers:
Edmonton:
Curtis Lazar 4gp-6g-3a-9pts
Henrik Samuelsson 4gp-3g-3a-6pts
Prince Albert:
Leon Draisaitl 4gp-2g-5a-7pts
Dakota Conroy 3gp-3g-3a-6pts
The Edmonton Oil Kings meet the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL playoffs for the first time.
The Oil Kings come into the playoffs as Central Division and Eastern Conference regular-season champions for a third consecutive season and on the back of their third straight campaign with 50 or more victories. Curtis Lazar and Henrik Samuelsson head up an attack that ranked first among Eastern Conference teams and boasted five players with 25 or more goals this season. Defensively, no team was better than the Oil Kings, who surrendered just 179 goal this season while owning the League’s second-best penalty killing unit. Led by Ashton Sautner and Cody Corbett, Edmonton’s defense corps was a combined +188 this season while producing 52 goals and 226 points. Goaltender Tristan Jarry has been a rock for the Oil Kings over the last two regular season, and now gets the opportunity to lead the team into the post-season after two years of backing up Laurent Brossoit.

The Raiders battled their way into the playoffs by knocking off the Red Deer Rebels in a rare tiebreaker game for the eighth and final playoff spot after the teams finished tied on points at the end of the regular season. Featuring elite stars like Leon Draisaitl and Josh Morrissey, the Raiders have an offense capable of inflicting damage. Draisaitl finished fourth in WHL scoring with 105 points while Morrissey led all WHL defencemen with 28 goals. Depth lies in veterans Dakota Conroy, Collin Valcourt and Reid Gardiner. Defensively, the Raiders allowed the second-most goals of any Eastern Conference playoff team, including giving up 22 goals in four head-to-head meetings versus Edmonton. Veteran netminder Cole Cheveldave has plenty of playoff experience from his time in Kamloops, but rookie Nick McBride has been the go-to guy over the last month for Prince Albert.
Series Schedule (All Start Times Local)
#1 – Prince Albert @ Edmonton; Saturday, March 22 (1:30pm)
#2 – Prince Albert @ Edmonton; Sunday, March 23 (4:00pm)
#3 – Edmonton @ Prince Albert; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm)
#4 – Edmonton @ Prince Albert; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm)
#5 – Prince Albert @ Edmonton; Saturday, March 29 (7:00pm) **
#6 – Edmonton @ Prince Albert; Sunday, March 30 (7:00pm) **
#7 – Prince Albert @ Edmonton; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm) **
** If Necessary


(2) REGINA PATS vs (7) BRANDON WHEAT KINGS
2013-14 regular-season record:
Regina: 39-26-4-3, 85pts (L10: 5-4-1-0)
Brandon: 34-29-6-3, 77pts (L10: 6-3-0-1)
2013-14 head-to-head record:
Regina: 3-3-2-0, 8pts
Brandon: 5-3-0-0, 10pts
2013-14 head-to-head top scorers:
Regina:
Chandler Stephenson 8gp-4g-7a-11pts
Morgan Klimchuk 5gp-2g-8a-10pts
Brandon:
Peter Quenneville 7gp-7g-8a-15pts
Richard Nejezchleb 8gp-4g-8a-12pts
The Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings meet up in the WHL playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Jordin Tootoo’s Wheat Kings defeated Colton Orr and the Pats four games to one in the first round of the 2003 WHL playoffs.
The Pats come into the WHL playoffs having captured the East Division title for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign. Under first-year head coach Malcolm Cameron, the Pats enjoyed a productive offensive season, scoring 64 more goals than they did last year. Led by Dyson Stevenson’s 38 goals, the Pats boasted four players who topped the 30-goal mark and another who hit the 20-goal plateau. Rookie defenceman Dmitry Sinitsyn heads up a defense corps that produced 34 goals while also combining for a +72 rating. Netminder Dawson MacAuley posted a 2.75 GAA and a .920 save percentage in six games in March leading up to the end of the season. He’ll likely get the start in the post-season with Daniel Wapple sidelined.

The Wheat Kings are back in the post-season after missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 1999-00. With plenty of talent up front, the Wheat Kings’ offense produced the fifth-most goals in the WHL. Led by Richard Nejezchleb’s 32 markers, the Wheat Kings had seven different players hit the 20-goal mark while also boasting the League’s second-ranked power play. Defensively, the Wheat Kings allowed more goals than any other Club that qualified for the playoffs. Ryan Pulock and the Brandon defense corps will need to keep the Pats’ top quartet of Chandler Stephenson, Dyson Stevenson, Morgan Klimchuk and Boston Leier in check. Goaltenders Curtis Honey and Jordan Papirny both go into the playoffs looking for their first post-season experience.
Series Schedule
#1 – Brandon @ Regina; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm)
#2 – Brandon @ Regina; Sunday, March 23 (7:00pm
#3 – Regina @ Brandon; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm)
#4 – Regina @ Brandon; Friday, March 28 (7:00pm)
#5 – Brandon @ Regina; Saturday, March 29 (7:00pm)**
#6 – Regina @ Brandon; Monday, March 31 (2:00pm)** Location TBD
#7 – Brandon @ Regina; Wednesday, April 2 (7:00pm)**
** If Necessary


(3) CALGARY HITMEN vs (6) KOOTENAY ICE
2013-14 regular-season record:
Calgary: 48-17-3-4, 103pts (L10: 7-2-0-1)
Kootenay: 39-28-2-3, 83pts (L10: 4-5-0-1)
2013-14 head-to-head record:
Calgary: 4-4-0-0, 8pts
Kootenay: 4-2-1-1, 10pts
2013-14 head-to-head top scorers:
Calgary:
Greg Chase 7gp-5g-4a-9pts
Jake Virtanen 8gp-4g-4a-8pts
Kootenay:
Sam Reinhart 7gp-3g-14a-17pts
Jaedon Descheneau 8gp-9g-5a-14pts
The Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice meet up in the WHL playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Hitmen defeated the Ice in seven games in the opening round of the 2007 WHL Playoffs, with Ian Duval netting the series winner in overtime of Game 7.
The Hitmen are making their 16^th playoff appearance in the 19-year history of the franchise, and enter the 2014 post-season having been narrowly edged out by Edmonton for first place in the division and conference. Calgary’s attack, led by sophomore Jake Virtanen and his 45 goals, finished second in the conference in offensive production. Featuring five players with 20 or more goals and nine players with at least 35 points, Calgary has the ability to put the puck in the net. Defensively, only Edmonton and Medicine Hat allowed fewer goals than Calgary among Eastern Conference Clubs. Veteran rearguards Alex Roach and Jaynen Rissling head up a Calgary defense that helped the team to the WHL’s third-best penalty killing unit. Goaltender Chris Driedger has shown he can perform under playoff pressure following last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Championship series.
The Ice are making their 16^th consecutive playoff appearance after having posted a record of .500 or better for a WHL-record 15^th straight campaign. To say that top trio of Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Descheneau and Luke Philp have been crucial to the Ice’s success this season would be an understatement. The trio combined for 111 of the team’s 235 goals this season, having carried the bulk of the offensive load for the Ice. The acquisition of Zach Franko at the trade deadline added another solid scoring threat, but the loss of Tim Bozon removes a big offensive weapon from the Ice’s arsenal. Veteran defender Jagger Dirk and rookie rearguard Rinat Valiev helped lead the Ice to the fourth-best defensive record in the Eastern Conference while netminder Mackenzie Skapski enjoyed a strong season in the Ice goal crease.
Series Schedule
#1 – Kootenay @ Calgary; Thursday, March 20 (7:00pm)
#2 – Kootenay @ Calgary; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm)
#3 – Calgary @ Kootenay; Monday, March 24 (7:00pm)
#4 – Calgary @ Kootenay; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm)
#5 – Kootenay @ Calgary, Thursday, March 27 (7:00pm)**
#6 – Calgary @ Kootenay; Saturday, March 29 (7:00pm)**
#7 – Kootenay @ Calgary; Monday, March 31 (7:00pm)**
** If Necessary


(4) MEDICINE HAT TIGERS vs (5) SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS
2013-14 regular-season record:
Medicine Hat: 44-24-3-1, 92pts (L10: 6-3-0-1)
Swift Current: 38-25-3-6, 85pts (L10: 8-1-1-0)
2013-14 head-to-head record:
Medicine Hat: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
Swift Current: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
2013-14 head-to-head top scorers:
Medicine Hat:
Cole Sanford 4gp-5g-2a-7pts
Curtis Valk 4gp-2g-2a-4pts
Swift Current:
Graham Black 4gp-4g-2a-6pts
Nathan Burns 5gp-3g-3a-6pts
The Medicine Hat Tigers meet up with the Swift Current Broncos for a WHL Playoff series for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Tyler Ennis and the Tigers defeated Cody Eakin and the Broncos four games to three in the first round of the 2009 WHL Playoffs.
The Tigers are making their 12^th straight playoff appearance, and have advanced to at least the second round in 10 of the last 11 seasons, including in each of the last five seasons. Led by 47-goal man Curtis Valk, the Tigers boast four players who scored at least 25 goals and 50 points. Add in high-scoring defencemen Tommy Vannelli, Dylan Bredo and Tyler Lewington, and the Tigers have an attack that scored the fourth-most goals in the conference. Vannelli, Bredo and Lewington also shored up the Eastern Conference’s second-best defence, having allowed just 196 goals. German netminder Marek Langhamer enjoyed a terrific campaign, posting a 23-14-3 record with a .913 save percentage in 40 games while rookie Nick Schneider impressed with a 6-0-0-0 record in eight appearances.

The Broncos enter the post-season having been edged out by Regina for the East Division title on the basis of the Pats having more victories, but come into the playoffs having won four straight and eight of their last 10 games. Graham Black took his game to a new level in his final regular season, leading the team and finishing among the top 10 in WHL scoring with 97 points. Five Broncos finished with at least 26 goals and 66 points while Finnish rookie Julius Honka made his mark with 16 goals and 56 points from the blue line. Defensively, it will be up to Dillon Heatherington and Brycen Martin to shut down Tigers’ captain Curtis Valk. Goaltender Eetu Laurikainen comes into the playoffs looking to build on a solid playoff debut last season versus Calgary.
Series Schedule
#1 – Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 21 (7:30pm)
#2 – Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Saturday, March 22 (7:30pm)
#3 – Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm)
#4 – Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm)
#5 – Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Saturday, March 29 (7:30pm)**
#6 – Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Sunday, March 30 (7:00pm)**
#7 – Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm)**
** If Necessary