(1)
2008-09 regular-season record:
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Jonathon Blum 6gp-1g-11a-12pts
Casey Pierro-Zabotel 8gp-5g-5a-10pts
Brett Connolly 6gp-2g-3a-5pts
The Vancouver Giants meet up with the Prince George Cougars in the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Milan Lucic and the Giants defeated Devin Setoguchi and the Cougars four games to one in the 2007 Western Conference Championship series.
The Giants are making their seventh consecutive playoff appearance after winning their fourth straight B.C. Division crown. The Giants enter the post-season having enjoyed their finest regular-season campaign in franchise history, posting 57 wins, 119 points and scoring 319 goals. Offensively, the Giants are well balanced with 16 players who scored 10 or more goals this season, including Evander Kane who set a new franchise record with 48 goals. Defensively, the Giants allowed the second-fewest number of goals in the WHL.
The Cougars are back in the post-season after failing to qualify for the playoffs last season. The Cougars finished the regular season on a five-game losing skid, including a 6-0 defeat to the Giants on the final weekend of the season. Offensively, the Cougars have relied on rookie Brett Connolly, who became the first 16-year-old to score 30 goals since Patrick Marleau did it in 1995-96 for
(2) TRI-CITY AMERICANS vs (7) EVERETT SILVERTIPS
2008-09 regular-season record:
Tri-Cities: 49-20-0-3, 101pts
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
Tri-Cities: 8-1-0-1, 17pts
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Tri-Cities:
Taylor Procyshen 10gp-8g-3a-11pts
Mitch Fadden 8gp-7g-4a-11pts
Shane Harper 10gp-7g-5a-12pts
Zack Dailey 10gp-1g-8a-9pts
The Tri-City Americans and Everett Silvertips meet up in the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Zach Hamill and the Silvertips defeated Ian McDonald and the Americans four games to one in the first round of the 2006 WHL playoffs.
The Americans are making their sixth straight playoff appearance and second consecutive appearance as U.S. Division champions. The Ams are coming off their third straight season with 47 or more victories, and look to make another lengthy post-season run after bowing out to
The Silvertips are making their sixth straight playoff appearance since joining the WHL as an expansion team in 2003-04. However, the 2008-09 season marked the first time the ‘Tips finished with a record below the .500 mark. Up front, the ‘Tips have relied on youth to score goals. Veteran Shane Harper led the team with 32 goals, but rookies Kellan Tochkin, Tyler Maxwell and Byron Froese provided a majority of the ‘Tips’ offense. On the back end, the Silvertips traditionally strong defense surrendered 259 goals this season – by far the most given up by any edition of the Silvertips. Young netminders Thomas Heemskerk and Kent Simpson will need to step up in a big way to stop the Ams’ high-octane offense.
(3)
2008-09 regular-season record:
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Colin Long 9gp-9g-7a-16pts
Brandon McMillan 9gp-4g-10a-14pts
Jimmy Bubnick 9gp-3g-4a-7pts
Shayne Wiebe 9gp-3g-3a-6pts
The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers meet up in the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Chuck Kobasew and the Rockets swept Scottie Upshall and the Blazers four games to none in the first round of the 2002 post-season.
The Rockets are in the playoffs for the second straight year, and on the back of their best regular season since 2004-05. On top of that, the Rockets head into the post-season as the hottest team in the WHL, having won their last eight regular-season contests. The Rockets have shown they are among the WHL’s elite teams, having swept their season series versus
The Blazers are in the post-season for the third straight year and for the 26th time in the last 27 years. The Blazers’ top five forwards – C.J. Stretch, Shayne Wiebe, Kenton Dulle, Jimmy Bubnick and Tyler Shattock – combined for 140 of the team’s 242 goals this season. Aside from the aforementioned five players, no Blazer scored more than 13 goals. Defensively, only
(4)
2008-09 regular-season record:
2008-09 Head-to-head record:
2008-09 head-to-head top scorers:
Drayson Bowman 8gp-9g-1a-10pts
Levko Koper 9gp-1g-7a-8pts
Jeremy Boyer 9gp-3g-4a-7pts
Jim O’Brien 8gp-3g-4a-7pts
The Spokane Chiefs meet up with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the playoffs for the first time since 2000-01. Lynn Loyns and the Chiefs swept Jamie Lundmark and the Thunderbirds three games to none in the 2001 Western Conference semi-final.
The Chiefs are in the post-season for the third straight year. They also happen to be the defending WHL and Memorial Cup Champions. Although they may not be quite the juggernaut the 2008 team was, this year’s Chiefs still have as good a chance as any team to go all the way. Top sniper Drayson Bowman comes into the playoffs playing some of his best hockey of the season. Bowman has piled up 31 goals and 59 points in 31 games since the calendar flipped to 2009. Defensively, the Chiefs have missed 17-year-old Jared Cowen and veteran Trevor Glass, yet have remained the WHL’s top defensive team. However, with Dustin Tokarski manning the crease, the Chiefs still boast one of the best Junior-aged goaltenders in the world.
The Thunderbirds weathered a difficult start to the season and find themselves in the post-season for the fifth straight year. While the T-Birds were a solid 24-10-0-2 at home, including a 17-6-2 mark at the
Source ( www.whl.ca )
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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