WHL Conference Finals Breakdown: Goalies

With the Conference Finals in the WHL not starting until Thursday and all but one playoff spot in all of the leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) spoken for, that means there is plenty of time to talk up what to look for in the WHL conference finals match-ups.  It begins with goaltenders:

EDMONTON OIL KINGS

Laurent Brossoit is the starter on the reigning Ed Chynoweth champions and the current leader with a 0.97 GAA.  Of the goalies left, he also has only one loss to his name in the playoffs so far (game 2 against Kootenay in the opening round).  The Calgary Flames prospect is backed up by Tristan Jarry, with who he combined to lead the Oil Kings in giving up the least amount of goals in the regular season.

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS

Mac Carruth is the starter for the Winterhawks and though he didn't start the season with the Winterhawks (he began the season in the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs), he went on to post a 2.06 GAA in the regular season on the way to breaking team records.  His 1.74 GAA in the playoffs is just a little higher than Chris Driedger's numbers (more on him later), but he really dominated the series against Spokane in the Conference semi-finals.  The Chicago Blackhawks prospect is backed up by Brendan Burke, and together, the duo helped lead the Winterhawks to the second lowest goals against totals, behind only Edmonton.

CALGARY HITMEN

Chris Driedger is the Hitmen's go-to guy between the pipes and was one of the best goaltenders in a Central Division that was loaded with great goaltending.  What made Driedger stand out from the likes of Laurent Brossoit, Cam Lanigan, and Patrik Bartosak was the fact that he was a rock for a Hitmen team that was middle of the road compared to the likes of both Edmonton and Portland, a defensive and offensive juggernaut, respectively.  His 1.73 GAA in the playoffs is just a step better than Mac Carruth, and he did a great job in the series against Red Deer.  The Ottawa Senators' draft pick in 2012 is backed up by Mack Shields.

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Cole Cheveldae got off to a torrid start, which was reflected in the Blazers' hot October that saw them earn a point in every game to start the season up to early November.  His 2.38 GAA in the regular season was pretty good, and had it not been for a momentary slip in the team's production combined with Kelowna's home mastery in the middle of the season, the Blazers would have repeated as B.C. Division champions.  Of the four remaining, Cheveldae is the weakest goaltender with a 2.60 GAA, and against the likes of the Winterhawks, he will have to come up big because the Blazers' offense has the ability to match goal for goal. Taran Kozun is the back up.