Cougars and Winterhawks to face off in WHL’s Western Conference Championship presented by Nutrien

Two of the most high-powered teams in the WHL are set to face-off in the WHL’s Western Conference Championship presented by Nutrien, as the No. 1 seed Prince George Cougars prepare for the No. 2 seed Portland Winterhawks.

The Cougars advanced to the WHL’s Western Conference Championship after dispatching the Kelowna Rockets in a five-game, second-round series, while the Portland Winterhawks completed a four-game sweep of the Everett Silvertips.

The regular season series between the two Western Conference powers was split down the middle, with each winning two games. The Cougars take the slight edge in the season series on the strength of outscoring the Winterhawks by an 11-8 margin, including a 4-0 at Portland on December 3, 2023.

The 2022 WHL Playoffs represents the last time these two teams met during post-season action, with the Winterhawks skating to a four-game sweep of the Cougars during the first round.

Game 1 of the WHL’s Western Conference Championship presented by Nutrien is set for Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. PT from the CN Centre in Prince George.

Following a 2-3-2 format, the series will shift south of the border to Portland for Game 3 on Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. PT.

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