Everett did what some people thought was unthinkable, sweeping the Penticton Vees. Many expected a competitive series, and in a way it was, with most games decided by one or two goals. What stood out, though, was the shot totals. In many of the games, the always defense-minded Everett Silvertips unleashed 40 or 50 shots per game, with few exceptions so far in the playoffs. They capped it off with a lower total of 27 shots, but still came away with a 4-2 win over the Vees in the fourth game of the sweep. Everett now has a week to prepare, as the Eastern Conference is proving to be a wild one.
After two games where each team had a five-goal win, the next two saw a 4-3 overtime victory for the Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by a 6-3 Prince Albert win. What this boils down to now is a best-of-three. Win two games, and you move on, and that’s where things are headed. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if they go the full seven games.
Everett, meanwhile, announced a 2-3-2 format for the final, which will start in Everett. As the number one seed, it makes sense that the first two games would be at home. It also appears the Tips are a strong road team this year, judging by their 12-1 postseason record. Games one and two will be May 8 and 9, followed by a block of three games in either Medicine Hat or Prince Albert.
The fifth game, along with six and seven, comes with an asterisk in that they would be played if needed, and the way this year’s playoffs are going, nothing is a sure bet. Should the Prince Albert and Medicine Hat series go the full seven games, there will be three days between the end of that series and the start of the WHL Finals. You can see why teams want to end the series quickly. Rest and recovery don’t appear to be in the cards for the Eastern Conference winner.
Over in the OHL, both series stand at 3-1, with the Kitchener Rangers and Brantford Bulldogs in the driver’s seat. The series should wrap up by Monday, with three games scheduled over the next five nights, all aimed at starting the finals by Friday.
In the QMJHL, both series are tied at two, with games stretching out as far as Tuesday. The finals are expected to start the following weekend.
The Tips added to their hardware, with coach Steve Hamilton winning the Dunc McCallum Coach of the Year award. He is now one series away from adding another trophy, the Ed Chynoweth Cup, as the WHL finalist.
The Portland Winterhawks shared some sad news with the passing of Matt Davidson, their Director of Player Personnel. Matt played four seasons in 273 WHL games and appeared in 56 NHL games over three seasons. He also spent eight seasons in the AHL before heading to Europe, where he played another six seasons in Germany before retiring in 2011. He unexpectedly passed away three months before his 49th birthday.
While the NHL Draft is still a bit away, the OHL has announced that 76 players are on the NHL Draft radar. Across the CHL, 84 percent of draft-eligible players are on NHL teams’ watch lists. Once again, the CHL holds a commanding lead in producing players who move on to the professional ranks. The latest wave of players leaving the CHL for NCAA teams has mostly consisted of those already drafted or signed by NHL clubs. It will be telling in the coming weeks, leading up to the draft, to see where the talent pool comes from and where those players end up once drafted or signed.
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