The Regina Pats open the WHL playoffs at home to Swift Current Friday night. Games one and two in the series are Friday and Saturday at the Brandt Centre, before the series shifts to speedy creek for games three and four Tuesday and Wednesday. This will not be a cakewalk for the Pats, but I believe Regina will prevail in six games. Here's a look at the other Eastern Conference first-round series, along with my fearless predictions:
MNP EASTERN CONFERENCE
SERIES A (Game # - Visitor @ Home; Date) (Calgary in 6)
All Start Times Are Local
#1 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Sunday, March 23 (2:00pm MST)
#3 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm MST)
#4 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm MST)
#5 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Friday, March 28 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Sunday, March 30 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; TBD If Necessary
SERIES B (Regina in 6)
#1 – Swift Current @ Regina; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Swift Current @ Regina; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm MST)
#3 – Regina @ Swift Current; Tuesday, March 25 (7:30pm MST)
#4 – Regina @ Swift Current; Wednesday, March 26 (7:30pm MST)
#5 – Swift Current @ Regina; Friday, March 28 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Regina @ Swift Current; Saturday, March 29 (7:30pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Swift Current @ Regina; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
SERIES C (Brandon in 7)
#1 – Brandon @ Lethbridge; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Brandon @ Lethbridge; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm MST)
(Rest of series TBD)
SERIES D (Kootenay in 5)
#1 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 21 (7:30pm MST)
#2 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Saturday, March 22 (7:30pm MST)
#3 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm MST)
#4 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm MST)
#5 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 28 (7:30pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Sunday, March 30 (6:00pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
MNP EASTERN CONFERENCE
SERIES A (Game # - Visitor @ Home; Date) (Calgary in 6)
All Start Times Are Local
#1 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Sunday, March 23 (2:00pm MST)
#3 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm MST)
#4 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm MST)
#5 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; Friday, March 28 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Calgary @ Moose Jaw; Sunday, March 30 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Moose Jaw @ Calgary; TBD If Necessary
SERIES B (Regina in 6)
#1 – Swift Current @ Regina; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Swift Current @ Regina; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm MST)
#3 – Regina @ Swift Current; Tuesday, March 25 (7:30pm MST)
#4 – Regina @ Swift Current; Wednesday, March 26 (7:30pm MST)
#5 – Swift Current @ Regina; Friday, March 28 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Regina @ Swift Current; Saturday, March 29 (7:30pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Swift Current @ Regina; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
SERIES C (Brandon in 7)
#1 – Brandon @ Lethbridge; Friday, March 21 (7:00pm MST)
#2 – Brandon @ Lethbridge; Saturday, March 22 (7:00pm MST)
(Rest of series TBD)
SERIES D (Kootenay in 5)
#1 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 21 (7:30pm MST)
#2 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Saturday, March 22 (7:30pm MST)
#3 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Tuesday, March 25 (7:00pm MST)
#4 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Wednesday, March 26 (7:00pm MST)
#5 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Friday, March 28 (7:30pm MST) If Necessary
#6 – Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; Sunday, March 30 (6:00pm MST) If Necessary
#7 – Kootenay @ Medicine Hat; Tuesday, April 1 (7:00pm MST) If Necessary
1 comment:
Very interesting and I can't disagree. The one thing that may be in question is Kootenay/The Hat. Kootenay ended the season with a thud being outscored 10-1. The Hat is a hellish tough place to play.
Regarding Brandon, they will be scary next year and frightening in 2 yrs. The top line is unequaled in the east. Brandon has superior scouting to anyone in the east, in my mind. Robak and Melanchuck are going to be top notch stud d-men. Brandon is already looking like a good bet for first in the Div for the next two years for sure.
Life is strange. The Figren trade never happened and that may end up being the best trade the Pats never made. The Pats already look like they have a #1 line for next year in McAngus-Doucet-Eberle. The have four quality goalies coming on stream at the same time, so a trade for something good is obvious. The have a plethera of quality 20 yr olds who will fetch a good price. The likes of Weal-Favreau-Mulder may form a quality rookie line to match up with Brandon's trio, a year removed. Mitchell is not at the Glennie/Schenn/Calvert calibre but he will be a quality player tough to play against. I see him being a 20 goal pest player. They should have a quality big mobile defense coming back led by Tuebert/Bartley. The thing they have to address is speed because we are woefully lacking again this year.
With some good finds and calculated moves our outlook may be not so bad in a couple of years.
Old Fan
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