2007 WHL Playoffs Tonight on SHA

HITMEN @ TIGERS, GAME 5, LIVE ON SHAW — The Medicine Hat Tigers will look for a series-clinching win in front of a home crowd as they host the Calgary Hitmen for Game 5 of the MNP Eastern Conference Championship series on Friday, April 27th.
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rFriday night’s WHL Playoff contest between the Tigers and Hitmen can be seen throughout western Canada on SHAW (7:30 pm, MDT).
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rThe Tigers skated to a 3-1 victory over the Hitmen in Game 4 on Wednesday night, giving them a commanding 3-1 best-of-seven series lead and leaving them just one victory away from capturing their second Eastern Conference title in four seasons. The Tigers boast a 7-1 record on home ice in the 2007 post-season, having reeled off seven straight win at the Arena after losing their opening game of the 2007 post-season. Derek Dorsett has found the back of then net in three straight games, and has recorded at least one point in his last seven games.
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rThe Hitmen find themselves down 1-3 in the series after Wednesday’s Game 4 defeat at home, and need to win the next three games in order to advance to the WHL Championship series. The Hitmen are 3-6 on the road this post-season, and dropped the first two games of the MNP Eastern Conference Championship series in Medicine Hat by a combined score of 6-1. Swedish rookie Robin Figren has scored in each of the last two contests versus the Tigers.
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rThe Hitmen will host the Tigers for Game 6 of the series, if necessary, on Saturday, April 28th.
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rKAL TIRE WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
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rThe Vancouver Giants have the opportunity to defend their 2006 Western Conference Championship banner on home ice as they host the Prince George Cougars for Game 5 of the Kal Tire Western Conference Championship series on Friday night.
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rThe Giants dropped a 3-2 overtime decision in Game 4 in Prince George on Wednesday night, but still hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after winning the first three games of the series. The Giants are 6-2 on home ice in the 2007 post-season, and have won four straight in Vancouver. Spencer Machacek stretched his post-season point streak to eight games with an assist in Wednesday nights O/T loss in Prince George.
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rThe Cougars staved off elimination with Wednesday’s overtime victory, but still trail the series 1-3 and need three more consecutive wins to advance. Prince George lost the first two games of the series in Vancouver and was outscored by a 9-4 margin in the process. Devin Setoguchi, the WHL’s leading post-season scorer, netted his fourth game-winner and third O/T winner of the 2007 playoffs with his extra-frame tally in Wednesday’s 3-2 victory.
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rThe Cougars will host the Giants for Game 6, if necessary, on Sunday, April 29th in Prince George (6:00 pm, PDT; SHAW).
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