CHL This Week No. 25

By Roger Lajoie

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The road to the MasterCard Memorial Cup continues with 24 teams still alive battling for a spot in this year’s tournament May 16-25 in Kitchener.

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The Canadian Hockey League started the season with 60 teams all hoping for a tournament berth, with 12 of those teams failing to make the playoffs in the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

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With the first round of the playoffs now completed in all three leagues, there are just 24 teams still in the chase, with the three leagues down to their quarter-finals as the second round of the playoffs open up later this week.

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Among the teams still with a shot at claiming a league title are the defending Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants in the WHL, the Memorial Cup hosts the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, and the top-seeded Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the QMJHL.

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A look ahead to round 2 of the CHL playoffs in all three leagues highlights Edition No. 25 of the CHL This Week, a weekly look at the top teams and players that make up the three league, 60-team Canadian Hockey League.

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League quarter-finals in all three leagues get under way this week, with the three league champions joining the host Rangers at this year’s tournament. If the Rangers advance to the OHL finals, then the other OHL finalists will also advance to the tournament.

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You can follow all of the leagues at the three official websites of the leagues, www.ontariohockeyleague.com (OHL), www.lhjmq.qc.ca (QMJHL) and www.whl.ca (WHL), all season long.

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Also be sure and check out www.chl.ca throughout the season for other information on all three leagues and other CHL news stories.

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ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE

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The Kitchener Rangers picked up right where they left off in the regular season during the opening round of the playoffs, as they easily moved on to the second round of the OHL playoffs.

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Kitchener scored 29 goals in an impressive four-game sweep over the Plymouth Whalers in the opening round, setting up an intriguing second round match-up against top-rated prospect Steven Stamkos and the Sarnia Sting.

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Stamkos scored nine goals in five games to help the sixth-seeded Sting upset the third-seeded Windsor Spitfires in their opening round, setting up the Kitchener/Sarnia match-up in Round 2.

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The other Western Conference series will see the Guelph Storm face the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The second-seeded Greyhounds rolled over Saginaw in four straight games, while the Storm needed five games to eliminate the London Knights.

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In the East the top-seeded Belleville Bulls needed five games to eliminate the Peterborough Petes, and their second round opponent will be the OHL’s playoff upstart team at the moment, the seventh-seeded Barrie Colts.

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Barrie stunned No. 2 seed Brampton in five games in their opening round series and will need another upset in Round 2 against the high-flying Bulls, the league’s number two overall team in the regular season behind Kitchener.

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The other East second round series is a dandy, as the Oshawa Generals, who swept the Ottawa 67’s in their first round series, face the Niagara IceDogs, who took out the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in four straight games in their opening round.

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The second round of the OHL playoffs start Wednesday night, with all series having to be completed by Monday, April 14.

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WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

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The defending Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants certainly aren’t prepared to relinquish that crown without a fight.

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After a strong regular season the Giants swept past the Chilliwack Bruins in four straight games in the opening round, holding the Bruins to just seven goals in the series. Game three in the series was a triple overtime affair, however, and all four games were decided by one goal.

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Vancouver will face the Spokane Chiefs in Round 2, after Spokane also recorded an opening round series sweep over Everett. Spokane needed double overtime to finish off that series in Game 4.

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The Tri-City Americans certainly looked like the No. 1 seed in their Western Conference series opener, taking care of the Kamloops Blazers in four straight games and out-scoring the Blazers 20-7 in the process.

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Tri-City will face either Seattle or Kelowna in Round 2, as that series was tied 3-3 heading into Tuesday night’s seventh and deciding game, making it the only first round series in the entire CHL to go to the maximum seven games.

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There were some good battles in the East, as Calgary needed six tough games to get past Moose Jaw, and Swift Current also needed six games to upset Regina. Lethbridge also moved on with a six-game triumph over Brandon and Kootenay disposed of Brandon in five games in the other East opening round match-up.

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In Round 2, Calgary will meet Swift Current and Kootenay will face Lethbridge, with the winners facing off for the Eastern Conference title.

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The second round of the WHL playoffs open Friday night, with all series having to be completed by Wednesday, April 16.

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QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

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There have been a few first round playoff upsets around the CHL, but none bigger than the one in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs.

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No. 7 seed Rimouski shocked No. 2 seeded Baie-Comeau in five games in the opening round of the Q playoffs, as Rimouski moved to the second round despite having 29 fewer points than their opponents in the regular season.

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In another mild upset on the Telus Division side, No. 5 Quebec edged No. 4 Chicoutimi in six games in their opening round, with the other first round series producing no upsets.

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Rimouski will have to play giant killer once again in the second round, as the Oceanic face No. 1 seeded Rouyn-Noranda, which swept Val-d’Or in the opening round. Quebec will face off against Gatineau in Round 2 after the Olympiques stopped Shawinigan in five games.

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In the Eastern Division, all the favorites advanced, including top-seeded Halifax, with the Mosseheads needing six games to beat a stubborn Victoriaville team.

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Halifax will meet Cape Breton in the second round after Cape Breton disposed of defending league champion Lewiston in six games. The other East second round series will feature No. 2 Saint John against No. 3 Acadie-Bathurst.

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Acadie-Bathurst knocked off St. John’s in six games, while Saint John swept PEI in four straight games in the other opening round series.

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The QMJHL second round opens up Friday night with all series having to be completed by Tuesday, April 15.

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The CHL This Week, a weekly round up of the Canadian Hockey League, is posted every week from September to May at the official site of the CHL, www.chl.ca .