SERIES PREVIEW: Lethbridge (4) vs. Calgary (3)
The 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien continue with second-round matchups beginning Thursday, April 10. WHL.ca is previewing each series ahead of puck drop, beginning with a Southern Alberta showdown between the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes.
There’s no love lost between Alberta squads Calgary and Lethbridge- and some testy regular season play will hit a new level in Round Two of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.
The Calgary Hitmen were the lone team to complete a sweep in Round One after dispatching the Saskatoon Blades in four straight games, while Lethbridge made quick work of the Brandon Wheat Kings in a five-game series to reach the conference semifinals for the first time since 2018.
As Central Division rivals, the Hitmen and Hurricanes clashed on six occasions during the 2024-25 WHL Regular Season- and the results did not disappoint. While ‘Cowtown’ took the regular season series with a 6-2-0-0 record, six of their eight contests were decided by two or less goals.
Through the first round, both Eastern Conference juggernauts have continued to prove they are clubs capable of making a deep run in post-season.
Calgary and Lethbridge each boast a remarkable goal differential following their first-round matchups, as the Hitmen outscored Saskatoon by 13 goals while Lethbridge outpaced Brandon by seven.
The Hitmen also lead all post-season combatants in the goals against, holding the Blades to a mere six tallies over four games.
Calgary’s special teams units are no laughing matter, either. The club sits atop the short-handed rankings with a penalty kill effectiveness of 92.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, Lethbridge’s offensive output has been garnered a team-wide success. So far, a total of 12 different Hurricanes have hit the goal column in Round One and only four skaters have failed to record a point.
Winnipeg Jets prospect and 2024 WHL Champion, Brayden Yager, is at the forefront of Lethbridge’s offensive measures, leading the Southern Alberta team in goals and assists (4G-4A).
And, the best news of all? Fans won’t have to wait long to catch the second-round series!
Game 1 will kick off at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. MST, and will shift south to the VisitLethbridge.com Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 15, at 7:00 p.m. MST.
STAT PACK
| Lethbridge Hurricanes | Calgary Hitmen | |
| Record | 42-21-3-2 (3rd Central) | 45-17-3-3 (2nd Central) |
| Playoff Leaders | Brayden Yager (4G-4A, 8PTS)
Leo Braillard (3G-3A, 6PTS) Miguel Marques (2G-4A, 6PTS) |
Tanner Howe (2G-7A, 9PTS)
Ben Kindel (5G-3A, 8PTS) Ethan Moore (3G-1A, 4PTS) |
| Season Leaders | Brayden Yager (25G-57A, 82PTS)
Brayden Edwards (31G-46A, 77PTS) Logan Wormald (30G-40A, 70PTS) |
Oliver Tulk (38G-62A, 100PTS)
Ben Kindel (35G-64A, 99PTS) Connor Hvidston (19G-37A, 56PTS) |
| Leading Goaltender (Playoffs) | Jackson Unger (4-1-0-0, 2.81 GAA, .911 save percentage) | Anders Miller (4-0-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .933 save percentage) |
| Power Play (Playoffs) | 23.5% (10th) | 27.3% (7th) |
| Penalty Kill (Playoffs) | 73.3% (9th) | 92.3% (1st) |
| First Round | Def. Brandon (4-1) | Def. Saskatoon (4-0) |
| Last WHL Championship | 1997 | 2010 |
2023-24 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Calgary leads 6-2-0-0
September 29, 2024- Lethbridge 1, Calgary 3
October 19, 2024- Lethbridge 1, Calgary 6
November 1, 2024- Calgary 5, Lethbridge 3
December 27, 2024- Calgary 1, Lethbridge 4
January 25, 2025- Calgary 3, Lethbridge 2
February 2, 2025- Lethbridge 4, Calgary 3
February 11, 2025- Lethbridge 2, Calgary 3 (OT)
March 15, 2025- Calgary 3, Lethbridge 1
GAME BREAKERS
Lethbridge Hurricanes: Alternate captain Brayden Edwards has been Mr. Consistency for his team in his final season of WHL eligibility. The Canes’ regular season goals leader surpassed 30 straight tallies for a second straight year and was Lethbridge’s top scorer against the Hitmen with three goals and six assists. In the post-season, the story follows a similar plot. In his five appearances, the product of Abbotsford, B.C. owns three points (2G-1A) and 12 shots on goal. The stat line also puts him fifth in Hurricanes scoring and is one point away from tying his single-season points record.
Calgary Hitmen: While we’ve already seen some incredible post-season performances across the League, none have flown under the radar more than Ethan Moore’s hot streak. The 2005-born forward concluded the regular season riding a five-game point streak (6G-3A) before resuming it on the first night of the WHL Playoffs. Moore erupted for a total of three goals through the opening two games, including the game-winning tallies in both meetings. And, if history repeats itself, the Hitmen forward is queued for a sizeable performance in Round Two. This year, Moore tallied five points (4G-1A) in regular games against the Hurricanes.
GOALTENDING
Lethbridge Hurricanes: Veteran Jackson Unger managed to trim his stats further from his 2024 Championship run with the Moose Jaw Warriors in his first round of playoff hockey with the Hurricanes. Unger went 4-1-0-0 against Brandon with a 2.81 goal-against average and a .911 save percentage. He enjoyed moderate success against the Hitmen in the regular season with a 2-3-1 record, a 3.50 GAA and .896 save percentage, highlighted by a 31-save victory on December 27.
Calgary Hitmen: Rookie Anders Miller is fresh off of being named Pharmasave WHL Goaltender of the Week with a pristine performance in his postseason debut against Saskatoon. The 18-year-old went 4-0-0-0 in Round One with a sparkling 1.50 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. However, the youngster hasn’t seen much of the Hurricanes this season. He stopped 27 of 30 shots in his lone start against Lethbridge, a 4-1 loss on December 27, and made 15 saves in a relief appearance in Lethbridge’s other win against Calgary, a 4-3 decision on February 2, 2025.
X-FACTOR
Lethbridge Hurricanes: Even with a relatively short resume as a Hurricane, Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jordan Gustafson has been as impactful as hoped. The 2023 WHL Champion dished two goals and two assists in Round One, including the game-tying goal and assist on Chadwick’s series-winning goal in Game 5. The 6-foot, 184-pound centreman had six goals and three assists for nine points in his eight regular season contests but only faced Calgary once. Will Calgary be able to limit the crafty forward in a short seven-game series?
Calgary Hitmen: Tanner Howe was expected to bring some grit and leadership to the Hitmen when the former Regina Pats Captain was acquired in a trade, but he’s also found a great deal of chemistry with Calgary’s top scorers Oliver Tulk and Ben Kindel. Howe, a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect, leads the Hitmen in postseason scoring with nine points (2G-7A) in four games. He had at least two points in each match against Saskatoon and had the game-winning strike to put the Blades on the brink in Game 3. The Prince Albert, Sask. product had two goals and two assists for four points in five tilts against Lethbridge in 2024-25.
SERIES SCHEDULE
| Game | Visitor | Home | Day | Date | Time | |
| 1 | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Thursday | April 10 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 2 | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Saturday | April 12 | 6:00 p.m. MST |
| 3 | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Tuesday | April 15 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 4 | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Wednesday | April 16 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 5* | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | Friday | April 18 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 6* | Calgary | @ | Lethbridge | Saturday | April 19 | 7:00 p.m. MST |
| 7* | Lethbridge | @ | Calgary | TBA | TBA | 7:00 p.m. MST |
*- If necessary
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