
Warriors and Hurricanes to Meet in First Round of 2023 WHL Playoffs Presented by Nutrien - WHL Network
March 24, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Moose Jaw Warriors News Release
The Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes will meet in the WHL Playoffs for the first time in 26 years when the post-season begins Friday, March 31.
The first-round series was confirmed Friday after the Saskatoon Blades defeated the Regina Pats 3-2, confirming the Hurricanes' standing as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Moose Jaw had previously been confirmed as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The last post-season meeting between Moose Jaw and Lethbridge took place in the Second Round of the 1997 WHL Playoffs, a series the Hurricanes won in six games en route to the WHL Championship. Lethbridge holds a 2-0 all-time series edge against the Warriors and reached the Championship series in both years in which they faced Moose Jaw.
The Warriors enter the 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien with a third-place standing in the East Division confirmed. Moose Jaw secured their 40th victory of the regular season earlier this week, having reached the Second Round of the post-season one year ago.
The Hurricanes will finish second in the Central Division, with Friday's victory standing as the Club's 36th of the 2022-23 Regular Season.
Moose Jaw won three of the four meetings during the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season, most recently an 8-4 triumph on home ice February 21. In fact, the home team ran out winners in all but one of the four regular season encounters, that being a 5-3 Warriors win in Lethbridge January 4.
Local product Atley Calvert led the way for Moose Jaw in the season series, scoring six times and totalling nine points in his four games against the Hurricanes.
Forward Blake Swetlikoff and defenceman Joe Arntsen, both of whom hail from the province of Saskatchewan, shared the team lead for Lethbridge in the season series with five points apiece.
Veteran netminder Connor Ungar posted two victories from his three outings for the Warriors in the season series, while the lone Hurricanes victory in the season set was helped out by the goaltending of Moose Jaw product Bryan Thomson.
Moose Jaw will close out its regular season campaign on home ice Saturday, March 25 versus the Saskatoon Blades (7:00 p.m. MT, Moose Jaw Events Centre).
Lethbridge has one game remaining on its regular season schedule, a visit to the Red Deer Rebels Saturday, March 25 (7:00 p.m. MT, Peavey Mart Centrium).
Game 1 of the first-round series between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes is scheduled for Friday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m. MT in Moose Jaw (Moose Jaw Events Centre). The series will shift to Lethbridge for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. MT (Enmax Centre).
2023 WHL PLAYOFFS PRESENTED BY NUTRIEN - SERIES D SCHEDULE
Game Date Away Home Time
1 March 31, 2023 Lethbridge Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT
2 April 1, 2023 Lethbridge Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT
3 April 4, 2023 Moose Jaw Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. MT
4 April 5, 2023 Moose Jaw Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. MT
5 April 7, 2023 Lethbridge Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT *
6 April 8, 2023 Moose Jaw Lethbridge 7:00 p.m. MT *
7 April 11, 2023 Lethbridge Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT *
* - if necessary
Western Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2023
- First Round Series Set; Single Game Playoff Tickets on Sale Saturday - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Warriors and Hurricanes to Meet in First Round of 2023 WHL Playoffs Presented by Nutrien - WHL Network - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Pats First Round Playoff Schedule Released - Regina Pats
- Raiders Drop Emotional 5-3 Contest to Warriors in Last Home Game of Regular Season - Prince Albert Raiders
- Wheat Kings & ICE Go the Distance - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Hurricanes Announce 2022-2023 Award Recipients - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- ICE Capture Second Consecutive Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL Regular Season Champions - WHL
- Raiders Athletic Therapist Bartley Receives WHL Milestone Award - WHL
- Royals Wrap-Up Regular Season with Home-And-Home Series against Silvertips - Victoria Royals
- Game Day Hub: March 24 vs. Seattle - Portland Winterhawks
- Preview: Rockets Wrap Up Regular Season - Kelowna Rockets
- Preview: Chiefs to Play Last Two Games of 2022-23 Season against Tri-City - Spokane Chiefs
- Game Day Preview March 24 at Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- WHL Announces Nutrien as Official Presenting Partner of 2023 WHL Playoffs and WHL Championship Series - WHL
- Warriors Aim for Strong Finish to Regular Season this Weekend - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Blades prep for second sellout this week vs Pats - Saskatoon Blades
- Pats and Blades Battle on Final Weekend - Regina Pats
- Game #67 - ICE at Brandon - Winnipeg Ice
- Wheat Kings Close out Regular Season with Weekend Series Versus the ICE - Brandon Wheat Kings
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