Tigers/Broncos Tonight

[Scout]

After a year out of the play-offs we are back again. Can we pull an upset? I think so or should i say hope so. We have no pressure to win which can work to our advantage. Medicine Hat has all the pressure. Sure they have a high powered offence but i believe we have better goaltending. For us to have success against the Tigers we have to come out hard and play as a team. Medicine Hat may take us lightly as all reports say Swift doesn't have a chance. There have been upsets before and heres crossing our fingures we have one. There is no question Moir can steal a game or two. We had a better season ending stat going 7-2-1 not that long ago. We have come together as one team with no real super stars. If we come out hitting hard and throwing good clean hits we seem to play better. We have to shoot at the net every chance we get and crash the net, none of this fancy passing back and forth. I wouldn't even mind seeing Benke put in front of the net to screen the goalie. There is not a Tiger that can move this 6'6" 225lber. We kept Telford up who stands 6'5". Put these guys in front of their goalie. We also have to ignore Dorsett. This guy played in Swift and he has a temper if things don't go the way he wants. If he gets under our skin he keeps his composure and agitates more, but if he is ignored he looses it and takes dumb penalties. Tidball has to learn he will not drop them and Brandon is better off to laugh at Dorsett and skate away. Our Defence has to clear the puck from our end along the boards and not be to fancy. Medicine Hats speed will kill us and intercept those passes if we do get to fancy. When Medicine Hats defence has the puck, finish the check and put him thru the boards. For check their forwards to death and don't let them get any rythem. Wear them down. Dean and Dave are playing all four lines and all defencemen and in a long series we can wear them down. Don't take stupid penalties or their power play will kill us. They will prey on Tidball to take dumb penalties and i hope he turns the other cheek. Remember we had the best record along with Portland in the final 10 games and i hope we can carry it in the play-offs. Medicine Hat had knocked us out two years ago 4-1 and i hope this series is pay back. We have the tools. Better goaltending, A reliable defence and a pack of forwards who are giving 100% every shift. Lets prove the skeptics wrong and take them out. Remember they have all the pressure on them to win. We have nothing to loose.

Scout

[Scout]

Central Division

(1) Medicine Hat Tigers vs (4) Swift Current Broncos

2005-06 regular-season records:
Medicine Hat: 47-16-1-8, 103pts

Swift Current: 24-34-6-8, 62pts

2005-06 head-to-head record: Medicine Hat won season series 7-1

2005-06 head-to-head top scorers:
Medicine Hat: Darren Helm 8gp-6g-5a-11pts
Derek Dorsett 8gp-6g-3a-9pts

Swift Current: Jeremy Schenderling 7gp-4g-2a-6pts
Luke Hunter 7gp-3g-2a-5pts

The Swift Current Broncos and Medicine Hat Tigers will meet up in the first round of the playoff for the second time in three seasons. The Tigers beat the Broncos 4-1 in the first round of the 2004 playoffs en route to the WHL Championship.

Medicine Hat comes into the playoffs as the league's top seed after claiming their first Scotty Munro Trophy in 20 years. The Tigers are a team that has it all. Up front, they have plenty of offensive power with speedy, skilled forwards like Darren Helm, Roman Psurny and Brett Robertson, and Kevin Undershute. They also have depth through their forward lines with players like Derek Dorsett, Chris Stevens and Daine Todd, who can all chip in offensively. With rearguards like Kris Russell, Gord Baldwin and David Schlemko, they also boast a very solid, mobile defense corps that will be bolstered further by the return of Cam Barker. The Tigers also possess one of the league's best goaltenders in Matt Keetley, who led the league in wins with 42 this season. Perhaps the biggest advantage for the Tigers will be the fact they have home-ice advantage as they lost only four games in regulation in Medicine Hat all season.

The Broncos are back in the post-season after missing the playoffs in 2005. Swift Current heads into the playoffs playing some of their best hockey of the year after posting a 10-5-1-0 record in their final 16 games of the regular season. The Broncos may not have the offensive depth that the Tigers possess, but they still have a few players who can light the lamp like team scoring leader Ned Lukacevic, as well as Marc Desloges and Levi Nelson. More will be needed from players like Luke Hunter and Jeremy Schenderling if the Broncos want to successfully crack the Tigers' solid defense. Swift Current's defense was a combined minus-21 versus Medicine Hat this season, and will need to be much more solid in the post-season if they want to shut down the Tigers' powerful attack. The Broncos' biggest hopes lie with goaltender Kyle Moir. Moir is used to facing lots of rubber, which will come in handy as the Tigers regularly out-shot their opponents during the regular season.

Series Schedule

Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Saturday, March 25, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Tuesday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Wednesday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 31, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Medicine Hat @ Swift Current; Sunday, April 2, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Swift Current @ Medicine Hat; Wednesday, April 5, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)