THE ROAD TO THE 2011 WHL PLAYOFFS

Calgary, AB – The 2010-11 Western Hockey League regular season enters the stretch run, with four weeks left to play before the post-season begins, and plenty left to be decided as far as playoff berths and positioning are concerned.

So far, six teams have clinched playoff berths, with all four Eastern Conference teams guaranteed post-season play, and another two Western Conference Clubs locking up berths.

This season, the WHL’s Eastern and Western Conferences will use a Conference playoff format.

The first place teams in the two Divisions in each Conference will receive the top two playoff seeds based on regular season points. The next six Clubs in each Conference, based on regular season points, will receive the 3rd – 8th playoff positions. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5 in a best-of-seven series.

The first place Clubs in each Division will be guaranteed the top two playoff seeds in the first round. As in previous seasons, the format for the remaining three rounds of the WHL Playoffs will remain the same. The four Clubs winning first round series in each Conference will advance to the second round, where they will be ranked in order of regular season points. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 4, and 2 vs. 3 in best of seven series.

The two Clubs winning the second round series in each Conference will advance to the third round (WHL Conference Championships), where they will be ranked in order of regular season points. The Clubs will be paired 1 vs. 2 in a best of seven series.

The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will advance to the best of seven WHL Championship Series, with the Club having the most regular season points receiving home ice advantage

 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

X denotes clinched playoff spot, *denoted Division leader

1) Saskatoon Blades* X             46-12-0-2,    94pts,  12 games remaining

2) Red Deer Rebels* X               41-14-3-4,    89pts,  10 games remaining

3) Kootenay Ice X                      39-18-1-2,    81pts,  12 games remaining

4) Medicine Hat Tigers X            38-17-4-1,    81pts,  12 games remaining

5) Moose Jaw Warriors             33-23-2-2,    70pts,  12 games remaining

6) Edmonton Oil Kings             26-27-2-5,    59pts,  12 games remaining

7) Brandon Wheat Kings            25-28-1-7,    58pts,  11 games remaining

8) Prince Albert Raiders             25-31-2-3,    55pts,  11 games remaining

————————————————————————————-

9) Lethbridge Hurricanes            20-28-4-8,    52pts,  12 games remaining

10) Regina Pats                         21-32-6-2,    50pts,  11 games remaining

11) Swift Current Broncos          24-37-0-1,    49pts,  13 games remaining

12) Calgary Hitmen                    19-37-2-2,    42pts,  12 games remaining

 

The Saskatoon Blades, Red Deer Rebels, Medicine Hat Tigers and Kootenay Ice have all locked up playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, meaning playoff hockey is a guarantee for those Clubs.

The Blades officially clinched the East Division title on Saturday with their win over the Kootenay Ice and Moose Jaw’s loss to the Prince Albert Raiders, meaning they are guaranteed one of the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference for the first round of the playoffs.  The Blades are guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth in points in the Eastern Conference.  With 12 games remaining to play, the Blades will set their sights on fending off the Red Deer Rebels – their nearest competition – for the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s top regular-season team.

The Red Deer Rebels currently hold an eight-point lead over Medicine Hat and Kootenay for first place in the Central Division.  However, both the Ice and the Tigers hold two games in hand on the Rebels.  The Rebels meet the Tigers twice more and the Ice once more this season, and play six of their final 10 games at home.

The Tigers find themselves with an 11-point cushion for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference, but eight points behind Red Deer for the Central Division lead.  The Tigers play eight of their final 12 games on home ice, where they boast a 19-8-1 record this season.

The Ice moved back into a tie with Medicine Hat after their win over Kelowna on Tuesday, and are now even on games played with the Tigers.  The Ice play seven of their final 12 games on the road, including tough trips to Red Deer, Spokane, Brandon, Saskatoon and Medicine Hat.

The Warriors currently sit comfortably in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, with an 11-point lead over sixth-placed Edmonton and an 11-point gap with Kootenay and Medicine Hat for fourth place.  Warriors need a combination of gained points and dropped points by Lethbridge totaling seven in order to lock up a playoff berth.

The Oil Kings currently sit in sixth place in the East, and hold a seven-point cushion for a playoff berth in the conference.  The Oil Kings face a tough schedule down the stretch with two games each versus Saskatoon and Red Deer and another contest versus Medicine Hat.

The Wheat Kings find themselves in seventh place and just one point behind Edmonton for sixth spot.  The Wheat Kings also have a tough schedule down the stretch with four games remaining versus the first-placed Blades.  Seven of the team’s remaining 11 games are at home, where they are currently enjoying an eight-game win streak.

The Raiders currently hold down the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but have just a three-point lead over Lethbridge, who have played one less game, and a five-point lead over Regina.  The Raiders play seven of their final 11 games away from home. They also take on Swift Current, who sit just six points back, another three times this season.

The Hurricanes currently sit in ninth place in the conference, just two points up on the Pats and three up on the Broncos.  The ‘Canes play seven of their final 12 games on the road, including a three-game trip through the B.C. Division in the first week of March.

The Pats sit five points out of eighth place in the East, and play eight of their last 11 games on the road, where they have managed just eight wins this season.  All 11 of the team’s remaining games are versus East Division opponents.

The Broncos find themselves in 11^th place in the Conference and six points adrift in the playoff race after having managed just five victories since the Christmas break.  The Broncos play three more games each versus Pats and Raiders – two teams they are chasing in the playoff race.

The Calgary Hitmen find themselves in 12^th place in the Eastern Conference after three straight years as the East’s top team, and currently sit 13 points back in the race for a playoff berth.  With 13 points to make up and just 12 games remaining to do so, it appears the Hitmen’s string of 13 straight playoff appearances is in jeopardy.

 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1) Portland Winterhawks X         40-16-0-3,    83pts,  13 games remaining

2) Kelowna Rockets*                  33-25-0-1,    67pts,  13 games remaining

3) Spokane Chiefs* X                36-14-4-2,    82pts,  12 games remaining

4) Tri-City Americans                  36-18-2-2,    76pts,  14 games remaining

5) Vancouver Giants                  31-23-1-4,    67pts,  13 games remaining

6) Everett Silvertips                   26-25-5-4,    61pts,  12 games remaining

7) Prince George Cougars          28-29-2-1,    59pts,  12 games remaining

8) Kamloops Blazers                 26-31-3-1,    56pts,  11 games remaining

————————————————————————————-

9) Chilliwack Bruins                    24-29-2-3,    53pts,  14 games remaining

10) Seattle Thunderbirds            21-29-4-5,    51pts,  13 games remaining

 

The Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks have both locked up playoff spots in the Western Conference, meaning they are assured post-season hockey.

The Hawks overtook the Chiefs for the U.S. Division and Western Conference lead thanks to Tuesday’s victory in Prince George, and have a game in hand on the Chiefs.  The Hawks play nine of their final 13 games against teams among the bottom five in the Western Conference.

The Chiefs have won four straight games, but slipped out of first place in the conference and division after the Hawks won in Prince George on Tuesday.  The Chiefs have four games remaining against their immediate U.S. Division competition, with three versus Tri-Cities and one versus Portland.

The Americans have lost three straight games on home ice, leaving them seven points back in the race for their fourth consecutive U.S. Division title, but hold two games in hand on the Chiefs and one in hand on Portland.  The Americans play seven of their final 14 games versus the top five teams in the Western Conference.

The Kelowna Rockets currently sit tied on points with the Vancouver Giants for first place in the B.C. Division, but earn the top spot due to having two more victories than the Giants.  The Rockets continue their road trip through the Central Division with games versus Medicine Hat, Red Deer and Calgary this week.

The Giants are gunning for an unprecedented sixth consecutive B.C. Division title.  Six of the Giants’ remaining 13 games are against teams ahead of them in the standings, including a crucial home-and-home series versus Kelowna on the final weekend of the regular season.

The Everett Silvertips moved up to sixth place in the Western Conference thanks to their win over Tri-Cities and Prince George’s loss to the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday.  The ‘Tips are on the road for eight of their last 12 games, while the Cougars still have seven games versus the Conference’s top five teams.

The Kamloops Blazers currently hold down the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and sit three points up on ninth-placed Chilliwack.  The Blazers have the fewest number of games remaining among Western Conference teams, and play just three combined games against their immediate competition with two against the Cougars and one versus Chilliwack.

The Chilliwack Bruins sit three points behind Kamloops for eighth place, but hold three games in hand on the Blazers.  Nine of the Bruins’ final 14 games are against teams among the top five in the Western Conference.

The Thunderbirds fins themselves five points out of eighth place in the West, and hold two games in hand on the eighth-placed Blazers.  Like the Bruins, the Thunderbirds face a tough stretch run with nine of their remaining 13 games versus the top five teams in the Western Conference.

 

BOB CLARKE TROPHY RACE

1. Linden Vey, M.H.                   58gp-40g-59a-99pts

2. Tyler Johnson, SPO               59gp-45g-53a-98pts

3. Mark Stone, BRN                   60gp-32g-54a-86pts

4. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, R.D.    59gp-20g-66a-86pts

5. Brendan Ranford, KAM          60gp-33g-51a-84pts

 

——————————————————–