Hurricanes welcome Rebels for first round of 2018 WHL Playoffs

There will be a renewal of a longstanding Central Division rivalry when the puck drops on the 2018 WHL Playoffs as the Lethbridge Hurricanes play host to the Red Deer Rebels.

The 2017 WHL Playoffs featured a spirited, seven-game slugfest between the Hurricanes and Rebels, as the two Central Division foes entertained fans across central and southern Alberta with a nail-biting first round slate.

In 2018, the Hurricanes once again hold home ice advantage as the second-place finished in the division, while the upstart Rebels roar into the playoffs as the third-place team in the Central, having executed a monumental second-half turnaround to storm into the WHL Playoff picture as one of the hottest teams in the league.

Captained by heart-and-soul forward Jordy Bellerive, who is enjoying a career campaign with 91 points (45G-46A), the Hurricanes will aim to cool the young spunk of the Rebels, fuelled by the high-end finish of veteran forward Mason McCarty (38-36–74).

Game 1 of the best-of-seven series goes Friday, March 23 at 7 p.m. MT from the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge.

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