The picture gets a LOT more clearer tonight....
Calgary beats Medicine Hat, so the Hitmen clinch #1 overall and home ice for as far as they progress in the playoffs. They were the league's best home team (32-3-1) this year so playing the extra game at home each series could help them.
Saskatoon beat Prince Albert, which ended any chance the Raiders had of getting the 8th playoff spot in the East outright. Their only salvation is that Edmonton also lost tonight to Red Deer, so the two teams remain tied for the last spot. The Raiders now have to hope that the Oil Kings lose in regulation to the Rebels again tomorrow, which would set up a one-game tiebreaker on Tuesday to determine who gets the 8th spot and the Hitmen in the first round. A win or a OT/SO loss for the Oil Kings tomorrow and they get the spot.
Kootenay beat Lethbridge, which wraps up the #5 to #7 spots in the Eastern conference standings. Tomorrow's game between Lethbridge and Calgary is meaningless; Medicine Hat gets the #5 spot and the Broncos in the first round, Kootenay gets the #6 spot and the Wheat Kings in the first round, and Lethbridge gets the #7 spot and the Blades in the first round.
Lethbridge has another issue to worry about tonight and that is that #1 goaltender Juha Metsola was taken off on a stretcher after a collision in the first period. If Metsola has sustained an injury which will keep him from being ready for the Blades playoff series....then the Canes' chances of pulling off the upset just took a big hit. We'll see if he's OK.
In the West, Kelowna beat Kamloops, which means that the only way Spokane can catch the Rockets for the #3 seed is for the Chiefs to win both their remaining games, against Kelowna on Monday and Tri-City on Tuesday. It doesn't matter if they win in regulation or OT/SO, but they'll need all four points.
Seattle also beat Portland tonight, which combined with the Blazers loss, means Seattle has locked up the #5 spot in the West. Kamloops will be #6.
The only races left are Edmonton/Prince Albert and Kelowna/Spokane, folks....five of the eight first-round matchups are set so we just need the Rockets & Chiefs to decide #3 & #4 in the West and for the Raiders & Oil Kings to decide #8 in the East, and we'll be all set to go in the postseason.
4 comments:
The WHL website has already given the playoff spot to the Oil Kings.
JB
It DOES matter if Spokane wins in regulation or not. At least in the case with the Rockets game, an OT or SO win would still hand the Rockets a point which means even if Spokane wins game 72 against Tri Cities they would be tied with Kelowna and the Rockets win the tie breaker.
Uh, no....if Spokane wins both their remaining games and Kelowna only gets the loser point on Monday, the two teams would be tied in points but the Chiefs would have 47 wins to Kelowna's 46 wins. Therefore, Spokane wins the tiebreaker.
Thank You I thought the first tie breaker was head to head which the Rockets have already clinched.
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