One look at the records of the two teams in the WHL final and it all makes sense.
The Swift Current Broncos and Everett Silvertips finished second and third with 103 and 99 points, respectively, so the fact they’re playing hockey into May is hardly shocking.
What is a tad surprising is they’ve reached this point despite competing in the most difficult divisions in the WHL while not being seen among the pre-season favourites among those groupings.
In the East, the Broncos were seen at best as playing second fiddle to the Moose Jaw Warriors and at worst third on the podium behind the Memorial Cup hosts, the Regina Pats. Although they provided a late scare to the Warriors, Swift Current basically held down the runner-up position in the six-team group all season.
That standing forced the Broncos to have to run the gauntlet early in the playoffs. They required two seven-game series to dispatch Regina and Moose Jaw – the latter featured a 6-0 win in the clincher – before knocking off Lethbridge.
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When it came to September predictions, the Silvertips weren’t expected to rank among the U.S. Division’s top clubs.
Of the seven broadcasters or team executives I canvassed for a WHL season preview piece, all of them had Portland, Tri-City and Spokane – in some order – as the best of the American five.
Instead, it was the Silvertips who sustained Carter Hart’s absence early in the season due to mononucleosis and for a month during the world juniors and then rode his amazing goaltending to top spot.
After defeating the division’s worst team, Seattle, in five games in Round 1, the Silvertips lost just three times to Portland and Tri-City to reach the final.
They may not have been favoured before the season – or maybe even entering the playoffs in one case – but the Broncos and Silvertips have more than earned their spot in the championship series.
Now it’s just a matter of seeing who finishes the job.
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Swift Current Broncos vs. Everett Silvertips
Regular-season series: Everett 1-0. (A 4-1 win in Everett.)
Last playoff matchup: Never.
Player to watch
Swift Current: Glenn Gawdin, C – After finishing second in regular season scoring with 125 points, Gawdin ranks fifth in the playoffs. He’s the leader of the players remaining with 25 points in 18 games. Gawdin missed Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference final series against Lethbridge because of an injury and his presence was missed — those were the only two contests the Broncos lost in the matchup. (Draft-eligible defenceman Artyum Minulin was also sidelined for those games due to injury.) As captain, Gawdin – a Calgary Flames signee – is the leader of the team in every sense of the word.
Everett: Carter Hart, G – Maybe he is human after all. Hart had been dominant through the first two rounds of the playoffs, posting the lowest goal-against average (1.92) and the highest save percentage (.944). The third round didn’t go according to script as Hart surrendered 20 goals in six games and his numbers worsened as a result (2.44, .922). It’s been a long season for the Philadelphia Flyers prospect, from the aforementioned mono to the pressure-packed world junior run. The Silvertips can’t afford for him to run out of gas now.
How they match up:
While Hart is considered the better goaltender — as evidenced by his WHL player of the year award Wednesday — the guy at the other end of the rink is no slouch.
In fact, Stuart Skinner’s numbers this post-season (2.32, .927, four shutouts) all outrank Hart’s. That’s not necessarily a surprise considering Skinner has been a starter since he burst onto the scene in Lethbridge in the fall of 2014 while still a 15-year-old.
The 2017 Edmonton Oilers third-rounder has been a key contributor for the Broncos since being acquired in January.
Hart needs to outperform Skinner, especially since the Broncos roster features offensive talents like Gawdin, Aleksi Heponiemi and Tyler Steenbergen. They each cracked the 100-point mark during the regular season and sit fifth, seventh and eighth in post-season scoring – with a minimum of 24 points apiece. Throw in Colby Sissons (NJD) and his 18 points from the blue line, and the Silvertips will have their hands full.
While the Broncos get plenty of adulation for their stars’ production, the Silvertips might be able to match them. They’re led by Patrick Bajkov, a Florida Panthers prospect, who had 100 points during the regular season. He’s chipped in 21 points in 16 post-season games.
After an 80-point campaign Garrett Pilon (WSH), has increased his production this spring. He leads Everett in scoring with 24 points – tied with Swift Current’s Heponiemi and Steenbergen. Throw in Connor Dewar (21 points) and captain Matt Fonteyne (20 points) and it’s clear Everett has its share of offensive options, too.
