WESTERN CONFERENCE 2ND ROUND PREVIEW
CALGARY, AB — The quest for Western Hockey League glory, and a chance to compete in the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Rimouski, QC, continues as the WHL Conference semi-finals begin on Friday, April 3rd.
The top four teams in the Western Conference are in the second round of the 2009 WHL Playoffs. The B.C. Division and Western Conference regular-season champion Vancouver Giants will battle the defending WHL and Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs in a match-up of the two most recent Memorial Cup winners. Meanwhile, the two-time U.S. division champion Tri-City Americans will face the high-flying Kelowna Rockets for a battle between two of the WHL’s most exciting offensive clubs.
Here’s a look at the second-round Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Semi-Final match-ups.
KAL TIRE WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) VANCOUVER GIANTS vs (4) SPOKANE CHIEFS
2008-09 regular-season record:
Vancouver: 57-10-2-3, 119pts
Spokane: 46-23-0-3, 95pts
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
Vancouver: 2-0-0-0, 4pts
Spokane: 0-2-0-0, 0pts
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Vancouver:
Craig Cunningham 2gp-2g-1a-3pts
Mike Berube 2gp-0g-3a-3pts
Spokane:
Brenden Kichton 1gp-1g-0a-1pts
Steve Kuhn 2gp-1g-0a-1pts
The Vancouver Giants meet up with the Spokane Chiefs in the post-season for the second straight year. Chris Bruton and the Chiefs beat Spencer Machacek and the Giants four games to two in the second round of the 2008 WHL Playoffs. It’s also just the second time in WHL history where consecutive Memorial Cup champions meet in the post-season.
The Giants advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season after sweeping the Prince George Cougars four games to none in the opening round. After outscoring the Cougars 23-7 in their four-game sweep, the Giants will brace for a much more difficult challenge as they face the reigning WHL and Memorial Cup champs. However, the Giants did win both meetings with the Chiefs during the regular season, outscoring them 9-2 in the process. Bruising forward Lance Bouma netted a team-leading four goals, including two game-winners, in four games versus P.G. in the opening round after returning to the lineup from an injury that had kept him out since late January. Jon Blum ranks fourth among all WHL defensemen in post-season scoring with six points in four games. The Giants killed off 22 of 23 Cougars’ power plays in the first round.
The Chiefs advanced to the second round after defeating the Seattle Thunderbirds four games to one in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference quarter-finals. With their opening-round victory over the T-Birds, the Chiefs have now won five straight playoff series’, going back to the start of the 2008 post-season. The Chiefs will need to adjust their game plan versus a Giants team that outscored them 9-2 in two regular-season encounters. The Chiefs own the second-best penalty killing unit in the post-season after the Giants, having allowed only two power play goals on 22 T-Birds’ man advantage chances in the first round. The Chiefs had success on the road versus the Giants in their 2008 post-season encounter, winning two of three games in Vancouver. Drayson Bowman ranks third among 2009 playoff scorers with five goals.
Series Schedule
#1 – Spokane @ Vancouver; Friday, April 3 (7:30pm PST)
#2 – Spokane @ Vancouver; Saturday, April 4 (7:00pm PST)
#3 – Vancouver @ Spokane; Tuesday, April 7 (7:00pm PST)
#4 – Vancouver @ Spokane; Wednesday, April 8 (7:00pm PST)
#5 – Spokane @ Vancouver; Friday, April 10 (7:30pm PST)**
#6 – Vancouver @ Spokane; Sunday, April 12 (6:00pm PST)**
#7 – Spokane @ Vancouver; Tuesday, April 14 (7:00pm PST)**
**If Necessary
(2) TRI-CITY AMERICANS vs (3) KELOWNA ROCKETS
2008-09 regular-season record:
Tri-Cities: 49-20-0-3, 101pts
Kelowna: 47-21-1-3, 98pts
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
Tri-Cities: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
Kelowna: 2-2-0-0, 4pts
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Tri-Cities:
Jason Reese 4gp-3g-1a-4pts
Johnny Lazo 4gp-1g-3a-4pts
Kelowna:
Cody Almond 3gp-4g-1a-5pts
Jamie Benn 3gp-2g-0a-2pts
The Tri-City Americans and Kelowna Rockets meet up in the post-season for the first time since 2003-04. Shea Weber and the Rockets defeated Ryan Kinasewich and the Americans four games to two in the second round of the 2004 WHL Playoffs.
The Americans are making their second straight appearance in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference semi-finals after defeating the Everett Silvertips four games to one in the opening round. After splitting the opening two games of their first-round series versus the ‘Tips, the Ams hit their stride in winning the final three contests by a combined score of 14-4. The Ams’ power play clicked at over 30 per cent efficiency (8-for-26) in their first-round match-up for the best power play percentage of any team. However, they’ll need to tighten up their 13th-ranked penalty killing to stop Kelowna’s vaunted power play. Goaltender Chet Pickard stopped 75 of 79 shots he faced over the final three games of the Americans’ opening-round series. The Ams will benefit from home-ice advantage versus the Rockets as they own a 32-6-0-1 record at home this season, counting the regular season.
The Rockets advanced to the second round of the post-season for the first time since 2005-06 after sweeping the Kamloops Blazers four games to none in the opening round. The Rockets scored 17 goals in four games versus the Blazers in the first round, only four of which came on the power play. Rockets’ sniper Jamie Benn is proving to be a key playoff performer. The 19-year-old netted three goals and 10 points in four games versus the Blazers, and now has 21 points in only 11 career playoff games. The Rockets lost both road games versus the Ams this season by a combined score of 9-3, but will need to find a way to win in Kennewick, WA, if they are to win the series. Goaltender Mark Guggenberger will need to out-duel Ams’ All-Star netminder Chet Pickard for the Rockets to have success.
Series Schedule
#1 – Kelowna @ Tri-City; Friday, April 3 (7:05pm PST)
#2 – Kelowna @ Tri-City; Saturday, April 4 (7:05pm PST)
#3 – Tri-City @ Kelowna; Tuesday, April 7 (7:00pm PST)
#4 – Tri-City @ Kelowna; Wednesday, April 8 (7:00pm PST)
#5 – Kelowna @ Tri-City; Friday, April 10 (7:05pm PST)**
#6 – Tri-City @ Kelowna; Sunday, April 12 (5:00pm PST)**
#7 – Kelowna @ Tri-City; Tuesday, April 14 (7:05pm PST)**
