With 21 days to go in the Western Hockey League schedule, DUBNetwork is looking at the potential match-ups as the season closes and heads towards the coveted Ed Chynoweth Cup. Regina owns the first birth in the Memorial Cup, the playoffs will determine who is the WHL representative in the final tournament of the season.
Six teams have locked up a playoff spot with three weeks remaining. There are four teams on the verge of clinching a spot. Two teams are close to elimination.
Western Conference Matchups
#1 Seed U.S. Division Leaders Everett Silvertips vs. 2nd Wild Card Seattle Thunderbirds
X – Everett Silvertips 64GP 41-18-2-3 87 Points Remaining Games: 3H-5A Home: Rockets, Thunderbirds, Royals Away: Giants, Thunderbirds, Winterhawks, Americans, Royals
Seattle Thunderbirds 61GP 28-24-7-2 65 Points Remaining Games: 6H-5A Home: Giants, Winterhawks, Americans, Chiefs, Silvertips, Winterhawks Away: Winterhawks, Silvertips, Chiefs, Winterhawks, Americans
Head-to-head: Everett posts a 4-1-0-2 record while Seattle is 3-3-1-0. They have two games remaining, one in Everett and one more in Seattle.
#2 Seed B.C. Division Leaders Kelowna Rockets vs. 1st Wild Card Tri-City Americans
X – Kelowna Rockets 62GP 38-18-4-2 82 Points Remaining Games: 8H-5A Home: Chiefs, Giants, Blazers, Cougars, Giants Away: Cougars, Cougars, Silvertips, Blazers, Giants
Tri-City Americans 61GP 32-21-7-1 72 Points Remaining Games: 8H-3A Home: Winterhawks, Chiefs, Winterhawks, Giants, Giants, Silvertips, Chiefs, Silvertips Away: Thunderbirds, Winterhawks, Chiefs
Head-to-head: Kelowna and Tri-City own matching 2-1-1-0 records. The teams have no remaining games head-to-head
#2 U.S. Division Portland Winterhawks vs. #3 U.S. Division Spokane Chiefs
X – Portland Winterhawks 61GP 35-20-1-3 78 Points Remaining Games: 5H-6A Home: Thunderbirds, Americans, Silvertips, Thunderbirds, Chiefs Away: Americans, Americans, Thunderbirds, Cougars, Cougars, Thunderbirds
Spokane Chiefs 62GP 36-21-3-2 77 Points Remaining Games: 3H-7A Home: Giants, Thunderbirds, Americans Away: Americans, Rockets, Royals, Royals, Thunderbirds, Americans, Winterhawks
Head-to-head: Portland owns a 5-2-0-0 record versus Spokane, the Chiefs are 2-5-0-0. The teams have one remaining game on the last day of the season in Portland.
#2 B.C. Divison Victoria Royals vs. #3 B.C. Division Vancouver Giants
Victoria Royals 63GP 35-23-3-2 75 Points Remaining Games: 5H-4A Home: Chiefs, Chiefs, Cougars, Cougars, Silvertips Away: Blazers, Cougars, Cougars, Silvertips
Vancouver Giants 61GP 32-21-5-3 72 Points Remaining Games: 3H-8A Home: Blazers, Silvertips, Rockets Away: Thunderbirds, Blazers, Rockets, Americans, Chiefs, Americans, Blazers, Rockets
Head-to-head: The Royals are 7-3-0-0 against the Giants, while the Giants record is 3-5-1-1. They have played out their season series.
Outside Looking In:
Kamloops Blazers 64GP 27-32-1-4 59 points. The team trails Seattle by 6 points with 3 less games left to play. They are also 13 points behind the Giants for 3rd in the B.C. Division. Remaining games: 5H-3A Home: Royals, Giants, Rockets, Giants, Cougars Away: Giants, Rockets, Cougars
Prince George Cougars 61GP 20-33-4-4 48 points. The team trails Seattle by 17 points. They are also 22 points behind the Giants for 3rd in the B.C. Division. Remaining Games: 7H-6A Home: Rockets, Rockets, Royals, Royals, Blazers Away: Chiefs, Americans, Royals, Royals, Rockets, Blazers
Eastern Conference Matchups
#1 Seed East Division Leaders Moose Jaw Warriors vs. 2nd Wild Card Saskatoon Blades
X – Moose Jaw Warriors 61GP 46-12-1-2 95 Points Remaining Games: 6H-5A Home: Blades, Hurricanes, Broncos, Wheat Kings, Raiders, Wheat Kings Away: Hurricanes, Ice, Wheat Kings, Raiders, Wheat Kings
Saskatoon Blades 63GP 31-29-2-1 65 Points Remaining Games: 5H-4A Home: Hurricanes, Oil Kings, Hitmen, Wheat Kings, Raiders Away: Warriors, Wheat Kings, Broncos, Raiders
Head-to-head: Moose Jaw is 4-1-0-0 against Saskatoon this season, with the Blades owning a 1-3-1-0 records against the Warriors. The teams have one last game remaining in their season series on March 3rd in Moose Jaw.
#2 Seed Central Division Leaders Medicine Hat Tigers vs. 1st Wild Card Brandon Wheat Kings
X – Medicine Hat Tigers 63GP 31-24-8-0 70 Points Remaining Games: 5H-4A Home: Rebels, Pats, Oil Kings, Hitmen, Hurricanes Away: Oil Kings, Ice, Rebels, Hurricanes
Brandon Wheat Kings 62GP 33-24-3-2 71 Points Remaining Games: 5H-5A Home: Warriors, Hurricanes, Broncos, Blades, Warriors Away: Raiders, Broncos, Blades, Warriors, Warriors
Head-to-head: Medicine Hat is 1-0-3-0 against Brandon, The Wheat Kings are 3-0-1-0. The teams have no remaining games in the season series.
#2 East Division Swift Current Broncos vs. #3 East Division Regina Pats
X – Swift Current Broncos 63GP 44-14-4-1 93 Points Remaining Games: 5H-4A Home: Raiders, Wheat Kings, Hitmen, Blades, Pats Away: Hitmen, Wheat Kings, Warriors, Pats
Regina Pats 64GP 33-25-5-1 72 Points Remaining Games: 2H-6A Home: Raiders, Broncos Away: Hitmen, Oil Kings, Tigers, Ice, Hurricanes, Broncos
Head-to-head: Swift Current is 4-0-0-0 against Regina. The Pats have yet to collect a point from the Broncos. They close out the season with a home and home series.
#2 Central Division Lethbridge Hurricanes vs. #3 Central Division Red Deer Rebels
Lethbridge Hurricanes 61GP 30-25-6-0 66 Points Remaining Games: 5H-6A Home: Warriors, Rebels, Pats, Tigers Away: Blades, Raiders, Wheat Kings, Warriors, Oil Kings, Rebels, Tigers
Red Deer Rebels 63GP 22-28-10-3 57 points Remaining Games: 5H-4A Home: Hitmen, Ice, Tigers, Hurricanes, Ice Away: Tigers, Hitmen, Hurricanes, Ice.
Head-to-head: Lethbridge is 4-0-0-0 against the Rebels this season, Red Deer has pushed the games to extra time twice and are 0-2-1-1. They each host one game against the other.
Outside Looking In:
Prince Albert Raiders 62GP 26-25-9-2 63 points The team trails Saskatoon by 2 points for the final wild card spot with one game in hand and Brandon by 8 points for the 1st wild card spot. Remaining Games: 6H-4A Home: Wheat Kings, Hurricanes, Oil Kings, Warriors, Hitmen, Blades Away: Broncos, Warriors, Pats, Blades.
Kootenay Ice 64GP 25-36-3-0 53 Points The Ice trail the Rebels by 4 points for third in the Central Division. They have played one more game than Red Deer but have three games remaining against the Rebels. Remaining Games: 4H-4A Home: Warriors, Tigers, Pats, Rebels Away: Rebels,Oil Kings, Hitmen, Rebels
Calgary Hitmen 60GP 19-34-5-2 45 points The Hitmen are 12 points back of the Rebels for third in the Central. They trail Saskatoon by 20 points for the final wild card spot Remaining Games: 5H-7A Home: Broncos, Pats, Rebels, Ice, Oil Kings Away: Rebels, Oil Kings, Broncos, Blades, Raiders, Tigers, Oil Kings.
Edmonton Oil Kings 62GP 18-36-6-2 44 points The Oil Kings are 13 points back of the Rebels for third in the Central Division. They trail Saskatoon by 21 points for the final wild card spot. Remaining Games: 6H-4A Home: Tigers, Hitmen, Pats, Ice, Hurricanes, Hitmen Away: Blades, Raiders, Tigers, Hitmen.
