It’s my Parting Shot for the Fearless Predictor and the Western Hockey League…Round 3!…
The good news for my second round prognostications…I picked three of the four series winners correctly, giving me 10 of 12 correct series predictions so far. The bad news…I didn’t have Swift Current knocking off Moose Jaw, meaning my choice to represent the W-H-L in Regina at the Memorial Cup is done!
The Conference finals start tomorrow, so I begin in the East with Swift Current taking on Lethbridge. This set is loaded with great story-lines…most notably these teams were involved in a January 10th swap in which seven current roster players changed hands. The Broncos got older, the Hurricanes got younger…and both teams improved! To my way of thinking, Swift Current got the better of the deal with the only doubt being in goal where Logan Flodell should be motivated to the extreme as the Broncos really wanted Stuart Skinner to be their netminder going forward. I think Speedy Creek is superior and will oust Lethbridge in no more than five games!
In the Western Conference final, my Everett-Tri-Cities match-up has come to fruition. The Americans rolled through Kelowna and Victoria without losing a game. How will they handle adversity against, arguably, the W-H-L’s best team still standing?! The Silvertips have a big advantage in goal with Carter Hart over Patrick Dea. That will be the difference in the series as Everett prevails in no fewer than six games!
Which brings me to a Swift Current-Everett final. Let me just exchange the Broncos for Moose Jaw and bring the Ed Chynoweth Cup back to Saskatchewan! Works for me!!
That’s my Parting Shot, I’m Les Lazaruk…