The East is a Beast

January 22nd, 2008

For What it’s Worth: $95.99-The WHL’s Eastern Conference playoff race will be one for the ages.

It’s said, “West is Best,” but in the Western Hockey League this season, the East is a beast. With just two months left in the regular season, the Dub’s Eastern Conference playoff chase is shaping up to be a pier-six brawl (forget those pansy brawls on piers one-through-five). As of this writing, the east’s top 8 teams are all above the break-even mark. The last time the Eastern Conference had all of it’s playoff qualifiers at .500 or better was 1997. Perhaps a good omen for the Lethbridge Hurricanes (Byron Ritchie rulez!!).

The top seed right now, Calgary, is powered by one of the league’s top offences. The Hitmen already have 9 players with at least 10 goals, and should have a couple more join the double-digit ranks. As an added bonus, Kelly Kisio’s club has also allowed the least amount of goals in the conference. Still, Kiss had yet to smile this season.

Regina leads the East Division. The Pats loaded up for a post-season drive, adding veterans JD Watt, Ryan Bender and Ryan DePape among others. Currently rolling, on a 6-game win streak, Regina is a gritty group, seemingly built for spring hockey.

After the division leaders, comes a whack of clubs, including Lethbridge, which can contend in the end. Kootenay has most of its team back that racked up 104 points and second in the conference a year ago. Moose Jaw made the biggest splash at the trade deadline, acquiring Ty Wishart from Prince George. Wishart joins Keaton Ellerby as a pair of NHL first round picks on the Warriors blue-line. Brandon lacks star-power, yet the Wheat Kings are tied with Calgary with 170 goals for and boast the conference’s second best goal differential at plus 41. Medicine Hat, while not quite as dangerous as last year, is still the defending WHL champ. Swift Current, currently in 8^th, is the third highest scoring team in the east, with an opportunistic blue-line and a goalie in Travis Yonkman who’s can steal a hockey game. Better bring something extra, like a steel chair or some brass knucks to this fight.

Then there are the Hurricanes. The team has changed its identity as the season has progressed. While offence was thought to be the strength of the club heading into 2007-‘08, team defence has emerged. The ‘Canes are second in the conference in goals allowed (just one more than Calgary). Since the start of the New Year, Michael Dyck’s crew has allowed a measly 9 goals in 7 games. The addition of overager Jeff May has bolstered the blue-line (although it looks like the ‘Canes must make do without Jesse Craige for a while. The 19-year-old rearguard was injured Saturday against Tri-City, and is out indefinitely with a knee injury). Better defence? Sounds like a recipe for a long playoff run.

Right now, just 9 points separate the Eastern Conference’s top 7 teams. We pretty much know who’s making the post-season, but predicting seeding is fruitless. These contenders better bring their best for the next 8 weeks. All I know is it’s going to make for fantastic hockey, with a playoff-like intensity in most barns on most nights from here on out. And as a fan, that’s all I can ask for.