nivek_wahs
03-15-2006, 05:48 AM
from www.whl.ca
The Road to the 2006 WHL Playoffs
Created: Mar 14, 2006
The 2005-06 Western Hockey League regular season has entered its final week of play and there remains much to be decided in the race for playoff spots and key playoff positioning heating up.
EAST DIVISION * denotes clinched playoff spot
1) Moose Jaw 42-19-5-3, *92pts, 3 games remaining
2) Saskatoon 40-25-1-3, *84pts, 3 games remaining
3) Regina 38-26-1-4, *81pts, 3 games remaining
4) Brandon 28-31-6-4, *66pts, 3 games remaining
5) Prince Albert 24-34-1-10, 59pts, 3 games remaining
All four playoff spots in the East Division are decided, and the first-round match-ups have been determined.
The Moose Jaw Warriors clinched their second East Division regular-season title in three years on the weekend, and will face the Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. This time, however, the Warriors will have home-ice advantage. Both the Warriors and Wheat Kings have three games remaining this week, including a meeting between the teams in Moose Jaw on Saturday night.
The Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats will meet in the first round of the playoffs. However, the race for home-ice advantage in the series has yet to be determined. Saskatoon currently holds a three-point lead over Regina for second place in the division, and home-ice advantage in their upcoming playoff series.
The Blades host Moose Jaw on Tuesday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule with a weekend home-and-home versus Prince Albert.
Thanks to a five-game winning streak, the Pats have surged up the East Division standings and closed the gap with Saskatoon for second place in the division. The Pats play all three of their remaining games on the road, starting with a visit to Prince Albert on Wednesday, and then ending with weekend stops in Brandon and Medicine Hat.
If the Blades and Pats end up tied for second place in the division, Saskatoon will get the better seeding as they have the better head-to-head record versus the Pats this season.
CENTRAL DIVISION
1) Medicine Hat 45-16-1-7, *98pts, 3 games remaining
2) Calgary 46-18-3-3, *98pts, 2 games remaining
3) Lethbridge 27-34-3-5, *62pts, 3 games remaining
4) Swift Current 23-32-6-8, *60pts, 3 games remaining
5) Red Deer 24-40-1-5, 54pts, 2 games remaining
All four playoff spots have been decided in the Central Division, but playoff positioning for first-round match-ups is still up in the air.
Medicine Hat and Calgary have already wrapped up the top two spots in the division and will have home-ice advantage in the first round. However, the teams are deadlocked in the race for the Central Division title, and in a three-way tie for first overall in the WHL.
The Tigers are in control of their own destiny as they have a game in hand on the Hitmen and the Giants, and play out their final three games on home ice, where they have been very strong. The Hitmen play both of their remaining two games on the road, with stops in Lethbridge and Red Deer on the weekend.
The race for third place is still undecided. The Hurricanes currently hold a two-point lead over Swift Current for third place in the Central Division, with both teams having three games remaining on their schedules.
The Hurricanes, currently mired in a five-game losing skid, visit Medicine Hat on Wednesday and host Calgary on Friday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule hosting Red Deer on Sunday. The Broncos, who have won five of their last six games, host Brandon on Tuesday and Moose Jaw on Friday before finishing up their regular season schedule in Medicine Hat on Saturday.
B.C. DIVISION
1) Vancouver 46-18-0-6, *98pts, 2 games remaining
2) Kelowna 45-20-1-3, *94pts, 3 games remaining
3) Kootenay 43-22-1-3, *90pts, 3 games remaining
4) Prince George 35-28-1-4, 75pts, 4 games remaining
5) Kamloops 33-32-2-3, 71pts, 2 games remaining
Vancouver, Kelowna and Kootenay have all clinched playoff spots in the B.C. Division, with all three teams guaranteed to finish no lower than third in the division.
The Giants are still in the hunt for the Scotty Munro Trophy for the best regular-season record as they are currently tied with Calgary and Medicine Hat for first overall.
However, the Giants' lead atop the B.C. Division has dwindled to four points over the hard-charging Kelowna Rockets. The Giants have two games remaining, including a crucial contest in Vancouver on Friday versus the Rockets. A victory on Friday versus Kelowna would clinch the Giants their first B.C. Division title.
The Rockets could finish anywhere from first to third place in the B.C. Division as they trail Vancouver by four points for tops spot, but lead Kootenay by only four points for second in the division. The Rockets host Kootenay on Wednesday in Kelowna, and could clinch at least second place - and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs - with a win.
Kootenay can finish no higher than second in the B.C. Division, and wrap up their season with a stop in Kelowna on Wednesday before a weekend home-and-home series with Spokane.
The fourth and final playoff spot in the B.C. Division is still up for grabs. Prince George currently holds a four-point lead over Kamloops, and has guaranteed themselves at least a tiebreaker for the last post-season berth in the division. The Cougars need only one point from their final four games to officially clinch the last playoff spot, and will visit Spokane on Wednesday before stops in Tri-Cities - for a pair of games - and Kamloops on the weekend.
The Blazers, meanwhile, are in danger of missing the post-season for the first time since the 1980-81 season. Kamloops will need to win both their remaining games, and hope Prince George loses all four of their remaining games just to get to a tiebreaker.
U.S. DIVISION
1) Everett 39-25-2-3, *83pts, 3 games remaining
2) Seattle 32-30-1-5, *70pts, 4 games remaining
3) Portland 29-31-3-5, *66pts, 4 games remaining
4) Tri-Cities 28-33-4-3, *63pts, 4 games remaining
5) Spokane 23-38-5-3, 54pts, 3 games remaining
All four playoff spots have been determined in the U.S. Division, but the race for playoff positioning is still undecided.
The Silvertips clinched their second U.S. Division title in their three-year existence, and are guaranteed home-ice advantage through the first round of the playoffs. The 'Tips visit Portland on Wednesday and host Vancouver on Saturday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule with a visit to Seattle on Sunday.
Seattle currently leads Portland by four points in the race for second place in the U.S. Division, with both teams having four remaining games, including a crucial home-and-home series between the teams on the weekend.
Tri-Cities still has a mathematical possibility of finishing in second place as they are seven points behind Seattle and have four games remaining, including a meeting with the T-Birds in Kennewick on Wednesday. However, the Ams have a more realistic chance of catching Portland for third place as they currently trail the Winter Hawks by only three points. The Hawks and Ams meet up in Portland on Sunday to wrap up the regular season.
The Road to the 2006 WHL Playoffs
Created: Mar 14, 2006
The 2005-06 Western Hockey League regular season has entered its final week of play and there remains much to be decided in the race for playoff spots and key playoff positioning heating up.
EAST DIVISION * denotes clinched playoff spot
1) Moose Jaw 42-19-5-3, *92pts, 3 games remaining
2) Saskatoon 40-25-1-3, *84pts, 3 games remaining
3) Regina 38-26-1-4, *81pts, 3 games remaining
4) Brandon 28-31-6-4, *66pts, 3 games remaining
5) Prince Albert 24-34-1-10, 59pts, 3 games remaining
All four playoff spots in the East Division are decided, and the first-round match-ups have been determined.
The Moose Jaw Warriors clinched their second East Division regular-season title in three years on the weekend, and will face the Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. This time, however, the Warriors will have home-ice advantage. Both the Warriors and Wheat Kings have three games remaining this week, including a meeting between the teams in Moose Jaw on Saturday night.
The Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats will meet in the first round of the playoffs. However, the race for home-ice advantage in the series has yet to be determined. Saskatoon currently holds a three-point lead over Regina for second place in the division, and home-ice advantage in their upcoming playoff series.
The Blades host Moose Jaw on Tuesday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule with a weekend home-and-home versus Prince Albert.
Thanks to a five-game winning streak, the Pats have surged up the East Division standings and closed the gap with Saskatoon for second place in the division. The Pats play all three of their remaining games on the road, starting with a visit to Prince Albert on Wednesday, and then ending with weekend stops in Brandon and Medicine Hat.
If the Blades and Pats end up tied for second place in the division, Saskatoon will get the better seeding as they have the better head-to-head record versus the Pats this season.
CENTRAL DIVISION
1) Medicine Hat 45-16-1-7, *98pts, 3 games remaining
2) Calgary 46-18-3-3, *98pts, 2 games remaining
3) Lethbridge 27-34-3-5, *62pts, 3 games remaining
4) Swift Current 23-32-6-8, *60pts, 3 games remaining
5) Red Deer 24-40-1-5, 54pts, 2 games remaining
All four playoff spots have been decided in the Central Division, but playoff positioning for first-round match-ups is still up in the air.
Medicine Hat and Calgary have already wrapped up the top two spots in the division and will have home-ice advantage in the first round. However, the teams are deadlocked in the race for the Central Division title, and in a three-way tie for first overall in the WHL.
The Tigers are in control of their own destiny as they have a game in hand on the Hitmen and the Giants, and play out their final three games on home ice, where they have been very strong. The Hitmen play both of their remaining two games on the road, with stops in Lethbridge and Red Deer on the weekend.
The race for third place is still undecided. The Hurricanes currently hold a two-point lead over Swift Current for third place in the Central Division, with both teams having three games remaining on their schedules.
The Hurricanes, currently mired in a five-game losing skid, visit Medicine Hat on Wednesday and host Calgary on Friday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule hosting Red Deer on Sunday. The Broncos, who have won five of their last six games, host Brandon on Tuesday and Moose Jaw on Friday before finishing up their regular season schedule in Medicine Hat on Saturday.
B.C. DIVISION
1) Vancouver 46-18-0-6, *98pts, 2 games remaining
2) Kelowna 45-20-1-3, *94pts, 3 games remaining
3) Kootenay 43-22-1-3, *90pts, 3 games remaining
4) Prince George 35-28-1-4, 75pts, 4 games remaining
5) Kamloops 33-32-2-3, 71pts, 2 games remaining
Vancouver, Kelowna and Kootenay have all clinched playoff spots in the B.C. Division, with all three teams guaranteed to finish no lower than third in the division.
The Giants are still in the hunt for the Scotty Munro Trophy for the best regular-season record as they are currently tied with Calgary and Medicine Hat for first overall.
However, the Giants' lead atop the B.C. Division has dwindled to four points over the hard-charging Kelowna Rockets. The Giants have two games remaining, including a crucial contest in Vancouver on Friday versus the Rockets. A victory on Friday versus Kelowna would clinch the Giants their first B.C. Division title.
The Rockets could finish anywhere from first to third place in the B.C. Division as they trail Vancouver by four points for tops spot, but lead Kootenay by only four points for second in the division. The Rockets host Kootenay on Wednesday in Kelowna, and could clinch at least second place - and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs - with a win.
Kootenay can finish no higher than second in the B.C. Division, and wrap up their season with a stop in Kelowna on Wednesday before a weekend home-and-home series with Spokane.
The fourth and final playoff spot in the B.C. Division is still up for grabs. Prince George currently holds a four-point lead over Kamloops, and has guaranteed themselves at least a tiebreaker for the last post-season berth in the division. The Cougars need only one point from their final four games to officially clinch the last playoff spot, and will visit Spokane on Wednesday before stops in Tri-Cities - for a pair of games - and Kamloops on the weekend.
The Blazers, meanwhile, are in danger of missing the post-season for the first time since the 1980-81 season. Kamloops will need to win both their remaining games, and hope Prince George loses all four of their remaining games just to get to a tiebreaker.
U.S. DIVISION
1) Everett 39-25-2-3, *83pts, 3 games remaining
2) Seattle 32-30-1-5, *70pts, 4 games remaining
3) Portland 29-31-3-5, *66pts, 4 games remaining
4) Tri-Cities 28-33-4-3, *63pts, 4 games remaining
5) Spokane 23-38-5-3, 54pts, 3 games remaining
All four playoff spots have been determined in the U.S. Division, but the race for playoff positioning is still undecided.
The Silvertips clinched their second U.S. Division title in their three-year existence, and are guaranteed home-ice advantage through the first round of the playoffs. The 'Tips visit Portland on Wednesday and host Vancouver on Saturday before wrapping up their regular-season schedule with a visit to Seattle on Sunday.
Seattle currently leads Portland by four points in the race for second place in the U.S. Division, with both teams having four remaining games, including a crucial home-and-home series between the teams on the weekend.
Tri-Cities still has a mathematical possibility of finishing in second place as they are seven points behind Seattle and have four games remaining, including a meeting with the T-Birds in Kennewick on Wednesday. However, the Ams have a more realistic chance of catching Portland for third place as they currently trail the Winter Hawks by only three points. The Hawks and Ams meet up in Portland on Sunday to wrap up the regular season.