THURSDAY NIGHT WHL PLAYOFF HOCKEY ON SHAW

HITMEN HOST ICE FOR GAME 5, LIVE ON SHAW – Greg Chase and the Calgary Hitmen take on Jaedon Descheneau and the Kootenay Ice for Game 5 of their first-round series in WHL playoff action on Thursday night, live on SHAW TV and in HD on SHAW Channel 303 or Channel 304 and SHAW Direct Channel 299. (7:00pm MST).

The Ice posted a 5-4 victory over the visiting Hitmen in Game 4 of the series on Tuesday night in Cranbrook, B.C., evening up the best-of-seven set at 2-2.  Nine of Kootenay’s 16 goals in the series have come on the power play.  Descheneau leads all players in post-season scoring with 10 points in four games.

The Hitmen lost their lead in the series with Tuesday’s setback in Cranbrook.  Calgary has scored 16 of its 18 goals in the series either at even strength or while shorthanded.  Chase has recorded at least one point in each of the first four games of the series, including netting three goals.

In other WHL playoff action on Thursday night, Mitch Holmberg and the Spokane Chiefs welcome Austin Carroll and the Victoria Royals for Game 4 of their Western Conference opening-round series.

The Royals skated to a 6-1 win over the Chiefs in Spokane on Wednesday in Game 3 of the series, giving them a commanding 3-0 lead, and can complete the series sweep with a win in Spokane on Thursday.  Carroll scored twice as part of a three-point outing on Wednesday night.

The Chiefs fin themselves in a must-win situation, trailing the series 0-3 following Wednesday’s loss.  Holmberg has yet to find the back of the net in the post-season after leading all WHL players with 62 goals during the regular season.

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