EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Edmonton Oil Kings vs. (8) Kootenay Ice
Edmonton once again dominated the Eastern Conference in the regular season and are looking to repeat as Ed Chynoweth champions. Michael St. Croix is the team's engine on offense, but the Oil Kings make their living on defense, and with players like Griffin Reinhart, Henrik Samuelsson, and David Musil, they are a tough team to play against. And we haven't even gotten to the goaltending duo of Laurent Brossoit and Tristan Jarry yet. Kootenay is primarily Sam Reinhart and everyone else. He's a guy to watch for in the 2014 NHL Draft, but he won't get Kootenay past Edmonton.
Prediction: Edmonton in 4
(2) Saskatoon Blades vs. (7) Medicine Hat Tigers
Saskatoon will host the Memorial Cup this year, so they will be assured of playing in May. However, their recent 18-game winning streak suggests that they aren't willing to settle for that. Led by the stellar goaltending of Andrey Makarov, the Blades are a tough team to score against, and both Dalton Thrower and Duncan Siemens are getting hot at the right time. Their offense is led by Matej Stransky. Medicine Hat is led by Curtis Valk and Hunter Shinkaruk. However, there isn't a heck of a lot beyond those two.
Prediction: Saskatoon in 5
(3) Calgary Hitmen vs. (6) Swift Current Broncos
Calgary is a team that will undoubtedly be motivated by the success of the rival Oil Kings. Led by Cody Sylvester, Jake Virtanen, and Victor Rask, the Hitmen have a formidable team, and Chris Driedger is capable of stealing a few games. The Broncos aren't a team that will wow anyone, but their steady pace got them here. Led by Graham Black and Adam Lowry, the Broncos could surprise here.
Prediction: Hitmen in 7
(4) Red Deer Rebels vs. (5) Prince Albert Raiders
The Rebels aren't known as an offensive team, as evidenced by their leading scorer only having 59 points (Rhyse Dieno). However, their defense is what will carry them. Led by Matthew Dumba and goaltender Patrik Bartosak, the Rebels can match the Oil Kings in that category. Offense is a concern, though. The Raiders started off hot, but tailed off pretty bad down the stretch, losing their grip on the East Division. Mark McNeill leads the team, but the real question is if the Raiders can rediscover their early season mojo.
Prediction: Rebels in 6
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