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2022 WHL Playoffs Preview: (7) Lethbridge Hurricanes vs. (2) Edmonton Oil Kings

April 20, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


With the 2022 WHL Playoffs set to begin Thursday, April 21, WHL.ca takes a look in at each of the eight head-to-head matchups across the league. In our first of eight opening round 2022 WHL Playoffs previews, we examine the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oil Kings.

For the first time in history, the Edmonton Oil Kings and Lethbridge Hurricanes will meet in the WHL Playoffs.

Yeah, we had to double and triple check the archives when we read that, too.

Though the Oil Kings and Hurricanes reside together in the WHL's Central Division, their paths have yet to cross in the post-season, but that all changes on Thursday evening. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is slated to get underway from Edmonton's Rogers Place at 7 p.m. MT.

The Oil Kings enter the 2022 WHL Playoffs as a heavyweight favourite of sorts in the Eastern Conference, backed by the strength of eight NHL drafted prospects, including leading scorer Dylan Guenther, who registered 91 points (45G-46A) in 59 games this season.

Finishing second overall in the WHL with a record of 50-14-3-1 (104 points), the Oil Kings have enjoyed massive success to this point in the campaign, logging the franchise's fourth 50-win season and first since rattling off three consecutive 50-win seasons from 2011-12 through 2013-14.

For the Hurricanes, 21-year-old Justin Hall leads the charge after enjoying a career season that saw him notch 74 points (34G-40A) in 62 games.

The Hurricanes finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and 12th in the WHL with a record of 33-30-4-1 (71 points) - the franchise's fifth consecutive season with at least 30 wins, not including the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

Though the Oil Kings claimed the season series between the two Clubs, going 6-2-0-0, it was the Hurricanes who earned the most recent win in the season series, securing a 5-1 triumph at Rogers Place in Edmonton on March 27.

The Hurricanes rumble into the post-season as one of the hottest teams in the WHL, finishing the regular campaign having not lost in regulation in their final seven games. But they face an uphill battle against a stacked Oil Kings squad and a Club that has historically had their number. Over the previous five seasons, the Oil Kings have racked up a record of 16-4-0-4 against the Hurricanes.

The last time the WHL Playoffs were contested, the Oil Kings were at the start of what projected to be an impressive window. The 2019 WHL Playoffs saw Edmonton advance all the way to the WHL's Eastern Conference Championship, only to fall to the Prince Albert Raiders in six games. The Raiders, of course, went on to claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions weeks later. And unfortunately for the Oil Kings, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on what was otherwise expected to be a few seasons worth of deep playoff pushes.

As for the Hurricanes, the 2019 WHL Playoffs were one to forget. As the second seed in the WHL's Central Division, Lethbridge was upset in the first round by the Calgary Hitmen, falling in seven games. The last time the Hurricanes escaped the first round of the WHL Playoffs, they advance all the way to Game 6 of the 2018 WHL Eastern Conference Championship, before falling to the Swift Current Broncos, who went on to win the 2018 WHL Championship.

If the Hurricanes hope to upset the powerhouse Oil Kings, veteran goaltender Bryan Thomson will need to stand on his head, and contributions will be required from throughout the lineup, including the likes of Alex Thacker (14G-50A) and Yegor Klavdiev (21G-26A). A burly blueline featuring the hard-nosed Joe Arntsen is going to have its hands full dealing with a deep Edmonton forward group.

The Oil Kings are hoping to get good news as it pertains the injury report before puck drops on Thursday evening. Montreal Canadiens prospect Kaiden Guhle hasn't skated since March 12 at Swift Current, having been listed as week-to-week on the WHL's Weekly Report ever since. While there's offense aplenty from the likes of Guenther, Josh Williams (34G-48A), Justin Sourdif (26G-45A), and Carter Souch (22G-49A), there's no question Head Coach Brad Lauer will benefit from injecting the WHL Championship experience of Guhle back into his lineup.

The last taste of a WHL Championship for the Hurricanes came back in 1997, while the Oil Kings won the WHL Championship for the second time in three seasons back in 2014.

Game Breakers

Edmonton Oil Kings: Dylan Guenther finished sixth in WHL scoring and was one of only seven players to eclipse the 90-point mark. Armed with a lethal shot, Guenther will make the opposition pay dearly if given time and space in the offensive zone.

Lethbridge Hurricanes: Justin Hall led the Hurricanes with 74 points, and notched 10 power-play goals and another 13 power-play assists along the way. He authored eight game-winning goals for the 'Canes and scored a WHL-leading five shorthanded markers.

Goaltending

Edmonton Oil Kings: Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa enjoyed a Goaltender of the Year-calibre season, finishing among WHL leaders in major goaltending categories including goals-against average (2.28, third), save percentage (.913, T-4th), wins (33, T-3rd), and shutouts (6, second).

Lethbridge Hurricanes: 20-year-old Bryan Thomson carried the mail for the Hurricanes in 2021-22, enjoying the first 20-win season of his career by going 23-23-2-1 with one shutout.

X-Factors

Edmonton Oil Kings: St. Louis Blues prospect Jake Neighbours is the heart and soul of the Oil Kings. Though he missed time due to injury, the team captain and product of Airdrie, Alta., still managed to collect 45 points (17G-28A) in 30 outings.

Lethbridge Hurricanes: An emerging rookie, Logan Wormald is quickly making himself known around the Central Division after posting 38 points (14G-24A) in 55 games this season. A third-round pick (45th) of the Hurricanes in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Wormald has quickly established himself as a key cog for Head Coach Brent Kisio.

Series Schedule

Game Visitor Home Date Time

1 Lethbridge @ Edmonton Thursday, April 21 7:00

2 Lethbridge @ Edmonton Saturday, April 23 7:00

3 Edmonton @ Lethbridge Tuesday, April 26 7:00

4 Edmonton @ Lethbridge Thursday, April 28 7:00

5 * Lethbridge @ Edmonton Saturday, April 30 2:00

6 * Edmonton @ Lethbridge Sunday, May 1 7:00

7 * Lethbridge @ Edmonton Tuesday, May 3 7:00

* = if necessary

Season Series

Lethbridge (5) at Edmonton (1) - March 27, 2022

Edmonton (5) at Lethbridge (2) - March 25, 2022

Lethbridge (0) at Edmonton (6) - January 30, 2022

Edmonton (5) at Lethbridge (4), SO - January 16, 2022

Edmonton (2) at Lethbridge (3) - November 26, 2021

Lethbridge (0) at Edmonton (7) - November 2, 2021

Lethbridge (0) at Edmonton (4) - October 15, 2021

Edmonton (2) at Lethbridge (1) - October 6, 2021

Through WHL Live on CHL TV, fans can enjoy every single scheduled game throughout the 2022 WHL Playoffs with the purchase of a WHL All-Access Pass at the low price of $59.99 plus applicable taxes and fees.

WHL Live - 2022 WHL Playoffs Packages

All-Access: $59.99

Round-by-Round: $19.99 per round

24-Hour Access: $8.99

* all prices in Canadian dollars

+ does not include applicable taxes and fees

WHL Live on CHL TV is available to fans anywhere in the world, providing high-quality streaming of WHL games on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV platforms, via mobile with iOS and Android, and on web using Safari or Google Chrome web browsers. Visit WHLLive.com for complete details.

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