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Western Hockey League

2018 WHL Playoffs Begin Tonight

March 22, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - The 2018 WHL Playoffs begin tonight as the spotlight shines in Kelowna with the Rockets hosting the Tri-City Americans in the lone contest to open the festivities.

Friday night, the rest of Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest join in the festivities.

After 792 regular season games, 16 WHL teams will vie for the right to be crowned the 52nd WHL Champions and represent the League at the 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup in Regina, Sask., this May.

Get all the social content and highlights you can handle by jumping in on the conversation using the hashtag #WHLPlayoffs at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For series-specific social content, use individual series hashtags, detailed below.

2018 #WHLPlayoffs Bracket

Eastern Conference Playoff Schedules & Previews:

Moose Jaw Warriors (1) vs. Prince Albert Raiders (WC2)

#MJvsPA - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw - 7 p.m. MT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw - 7 p.m. MT

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 - Art Hauser Centre - Prince Albert - 7 p.m. MT

Game 4 - Wednesday, March 28 - Art Hauser Centre - Prince Albert - 7 p.m. MT

Game 5* - Saturday, March 31 - Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw - 7 p.m. MT

Game 6* - Sunday, April 1 - Art Hauser Centre - Prince Albert - 6 p.m. MT

Game 7* - Tuesday, April 3 - Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw - 7 p.m. MT

*if necessary

Swift Current Broncos (2) vs. Regina Pats (3)

#SCvsREG - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Innovation Credit Union i-Plex - Swift Current - 7 p.m. MT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Innovation Credit Union i-Plex - Swift Current - 7 p.m. MT

Game 3 - Monday, March 26 - Brandt Centre - Regina - 7 p.m. MT

Game 4 - Wednesday, March 28 - Brandt Centre - Regina - 7 p.m. MT

Game 5* - Friday, March 30 - Innovation Credit Union i-Plex - Swift Current - 7 p.m. MT

Game 6* - Saturday, March 31 - Brandt Centre - Regina - 7 p.m. MT

Game 7* - Monday, April 2 - Innovation Credit Union i-Plex - Swift Current - 7 p.m.

*if necessary

Medicine Hat Tigers (1) vs. Brandon Wheat Kings (WC1)

#MHvsBDN - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Canalta Centre - Medicine Hat, Alta. - 7:30 p.m. MT

Game 2 - Sunday, March 25 - Canalta Centre - Medicine Hat, Alta. - 6:00 p.m. MT

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 - Credit Union Place - Dauphin, Man. - 7:30 p.m. CT

Game 4 - Wednesday, March 28 - Credit Union Place - Dauphin, Man. - 7:30 p.m. CT

*Game 5 - Friday, March 30 - Canalta Centre - Medicine Hat, Alta. - 7:30 p.m. MT

*Game 6 - Sunday, April 1 - Credit Union Place - Dauphin, Man. - 7:00 p.m. CT

*Game 7 - Tuesday, April 3 - Canalta Centre - Medicine Hat, Alta. - 7:00 p.m. MT

* If necessary

Lethbridge Hurricanes (2) vs. Red Deer Rebels (3)

#LETvsRD - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Enmax Centre - Lethbridge - 7 p.m. MT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Enmax Centre - Lethbridge - 7 p.m. MT

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 - Enmax Centrium - Red Deer - 7 p.m. MT

Game 4 - Wednesday, March 28 - Enmax Centrium - Red Deer - 7 p.m. MT

Game 5* - Saturday, March 31 - Enmax Centre - Lethbridge - 7 p.m. MT

Game 6* - Sunday, April 1 - Enmax Centrium - Red Deer - 6 p.m. MT

Game 7* - Tuesday, April 3 - Enmax Centre - Lethbridge - 7 p.m. MT

*if necessary

Western Conference Playoff Schedules & Previews:

Kelowna Rockets (1) vs. Tri-City Americans (WC1)

#KELvsTC - Series Preview

Game 1 - Thursday, March 22 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, B.C. - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, B.C. - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 3 - Wednesday, March 28 - Toyota Centre - Kennewick, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 4 - Thursday, March 29 - Toyota Centre - Kennewick, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*Game 5 - Saturday, March 31 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, B.C. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*Game 6 - Sunday, April 1 - Toyota Centre - Kennewick, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*Game 7 - Tuesday, April 3 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, B.C. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*If necessary

Victoria Royals (2) vs. Vancouver Giants (3)

#VICvsVAN - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 - Langley Events Centre - Vancouver - 7 p.m. PT

Game 4 - Thursday, March 29 - Langley Events Centre - Vancouver - 7 p.m. PT

Game 5* - Saturday, March 31 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 6* - Monday, April 2 - Langley Events Centre - Vancouver - 2 p.m. PT

Game 7* - Tuesday, April 3 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria - 7 p.m. PT

*if necessary

Everett Silvertips (1) vs. Seattle Thunderbirds (WC2)

#EVTvsSEA - Series Preview

Game 1 - Friday, March 23 - Angel of the Winds Arena - Everett, Wash. - 7:35 p.m. PT

Game 2 - Saturday, March 24 - Angel of the Winds Arena - Everett, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 3 - Tuesday, March 27 - accesso ShoWare Centre - Kent, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

Game 4 - Friday, March 30 - accesso ShoWare Centre - Kent, Wash. - 7:35 p.m. PT

*Game 5 - Saturday, March 31 - Angel of the Winds Arena- Everett, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*Game 6 - Tuesday, April 3 - accesso ShoWare Centre - Kent, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*Game 7 - Wednesday, April 4 - Angel of the Winds Arena - Everett, Wash. - 7:05 p.m. PT

*If necessary

Portland Winterhawks (2) vs. Spokane Chiefs (3)

#PORvsSPO - Series Preview

Game 1 - Saturday, March 24 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore. - 6:00 p.m. PT

Game 2 - Sunday, March 25 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore. - 5:00 p.m. PT

Game 3 - Wednesday, March 28 - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena - Spokane, Wash. - 7:00 p.m. PT

Game 4 - Thursday, March 29 - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena - Spokane, Wash. - 7:00 p.m. PT

*Game 5 - Saturday, March 31 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore. - 6:00 p.m. PT

*Game 6 - Monday, April 2 - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena - Spokane, Wash. - 7:00 p.m. PT

*Game 7 - Tuesday, April 3 - Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore. - 7:00 p.m. PT

*If necessary

WHL in 30 Broadcast Information - WHL Playoffs: Round 1

WHL in 30 will continue through the 2018 WHL Playoffs, with first round action featuring the Vancouver Giants at Victoria Royals and the Swift Current Broncos at Regina Pats.

Game 1 between the Giants and Royals will be available in condensed WHL in 30 format on Saturday, March 24 at 12 p.m. MT on Shaw TV (Ch. 10) where available throughout Western Canada. It will then be available at WHL.ca, Facebook and YouTube at 12:30 p.m. MT.

Game 4 between the Broncos and Pats will be available in condensed WHL in 30 format on Thursday, March 29 at 12 p.m. MT on Shaw TV (Ch. 10) where available throughout Western Canada. It will then be available at WHL.ca, Facebook and YouTube at 12:30 p.m. MT.

Schedule is subject to change, please check local TV listings for up-to-date information.

WHL on Access Broadcast Information - WHL Playoffs: Round 1

The WHL on Access will televise the first-round series between the Swift Current Broncos and Regina Pats in its entirety. All games will be available on Access channels 7 or 70 (community dependent) in Saskatchewan. Shaw customers in Saskatchewan can also find Access coverage of this series on Channel 10. Check local TV listings for up-to-date information.

CHL on Sportsnet Broadcast Information - WHL Playoffs: Round 1

The CHL on Sportsnet will head west for Game 4 of the best-of-seven series between the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants, scheduled for Thursday, March 29. Puck drop on Sportsnet 360 is set for 7 p.m. PT. Check local TV listings for up-to-date information.

WHL Live Playoff Packages Available

WHL Playoff packages through the WHL's webcasting platform, WHL Live, are now available at WHLLive.com.

Individual Game - $6.99

Team Pass (per round) - $25.99

All Access - $129.95

All Access (from Round 2) - $79.99

All Access (from Round 3) - $49.99

*all prices in Canadian dollars

WHL Playoffs Format

The WHL uses a Divisional/Conference hybrid playoff format, with the inclusion of wild card qualifiers. All playoff series are best-of-seven series.

The format sees the top three teams in each Division make up the first 12 teams in the playoffs. The remaining four spots will be filled by the next two highest-placed teams in each Conference, based on their regular season record and regardless of Division.

In the first round, the Division winner with the best record in each Conference will be matched against the wild card team with the lesser record; the wild card team with the better record will play the other Division winner.

The teams finishing second and third in each Division will meet in the first round within the bracket headed by their respective division winners. First round winners within each bracket play one another in the second round to determine the four participants in the Conference championship series.

Home ice advantage in the WHL Championship Series will be determined by regular season record. If an East Division Club is involved in the WHL Championship Series, the series will use a 2-3-2 format.

CHL Team of the Century

In celebration of the 100th edition of the Mastercard Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League is asking fans to cast their vote for the Team of the Century. Fans can vote at CHLTeamoftheCentury.ca by logging in to an active CHL Fanbase account. New users can register at CHLFanbase.ca. Every vote provides fans an opportunity to win great prizes, including a grand-prize trip for two to the 2019 Mastercard Memorial Cup.

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