Winterhawks thump Thunderbirds, handing last WHL playoff spot to Silvertips

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Mike Johnston's Winterhawks eliminated Seattle from the playoffs. (Province files.)

It took until the final game of the regular season Sunday, but the WHL has its first-round playoff match-ups set.

The Portland Winterhawks’ 8-2 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds Sunday left the Thunderbirds out of the playoffs and the Everett Silvertips in. Coach Mike Johnston opted to sit out veterans Brad Ross and Joe Morrow, as well as Sven Bartschi, who’s fresh off his stint with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.

The outcome means that, with Thunderbirds star backstop Calvin Pickard expected to play somewhere in the Colorado Avalanche’s system next year as a 20-year-old, one of the WHL’s best goalies of the last 10 years will have played just five Major Junior playoff games. Seattle was ousted by Spokane in the first round in five games in 2009.

Here’s the WHL press release with all the first-round schedules.

WHL ANNOUNCES 2012 ROUND ONE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League announced today the dates and game times for the opening round of the 2012 WHL Playoffs. The 2012 WHL Playoffs are presented by Kal Tire and Husky, Prestige Partners of the Western Hockey League.  Please find attached a one page document listing all eight of the 2012 WHL Playoffs round one schedules, plus the 2012 WHL Playoffs logo for use during the first and second rounds.

Note – Game four of the Kamloops Blazers – Victoria Royals Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final (Series F), originally scheduled for Thursday, March 29, has been moved to Wednesday, March 28.  Change is reflected below and in the attached document.

CLICK HERE for 2012 WHL Playoffs Brackets on the WHL website

2012 WHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND

Husky WHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Final
EDMONTON vs. KOOTENAY
(Series A)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:00 PM Kootenay at Edmonton
Game 2 - Sun Mar 25 5:00 PM Kootenay at Edmonton
Game 3 – Wed Mar 28 7:00 PM Edmonton at Kootenay
Game 4 – Thurs Mar 29 7:00 PM Edmonton at Kootenay
Game 5 – Sun Apr 1 2:00 PM Kootenay at Edmonton **
Game 6 – Tues Apr 3 7:00 PM Edmonton at Kootenay **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 4 7:00 PM Kootenay at Edmonton **

Husky WHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Final
MOOSE JAW VS. REGINA
(Series B)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:00 PM Regina at Moose Jaw
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:00 PM Regina at Moose Jaw
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:00 PM Moose Jaw at Regina
Game 4 – Wed Mar 28 7:00 PM Moose Jaw at Regina
Game 5 – Fri Mar 30 7:00 PM Regina at Moose Jaw **
Game 6 – Sat Mar 31 7:00 PM Moose Jaw at Regina **
Game 7 – Mon Apr 2 7:00 PM Regina at Moose Jaw **

Husky WHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Final
CALGARY VS. BRANDON
(Series C)
Game 1 - Thurs Mar 22 7:00 PM Brandon at Calgary
Game 2 - Fri Mar 23 7:00 PM Brandon at Calgary
Game 3 – Sun Mar 25 6:00 PM Calgary at Brandon (MTS Centre, Winnipeg)
Game 4 – Tues Mar 27 7:00 PM Calgary at Brandon (MTS Centre, Winnipeg)
Game 5 – Thurs Mar 29 7:00 PM Calgary at Brandon ** (MTS Centre, Winnipeg)
Game 6 – Sun Apr 1 4:00 PM Brandon at Calgary **
Game 7 – Tues Apr 3 7:00 PM Brandon at Calgary **

Husky WHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Final
MEDICINE HAT VS. SASKATOON
(Series D)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:30 PM Saskatoon at Medicine Hat
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:30 PM Saskatoon at Medicine Hat
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:00 PM Medicine Hat at Saskatoon
Game 4 – Wed Mar 28 7:00 PM Medicine Hat at Saskatoon
Game 5 – Sat Mar 31 7:30 PM Saskatoon at Medicine Hat **
Game 6 – Mon Apr 2 7:00 PM Medicine Hat at Saskatoon **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 4 7:00 PM Saskatoon at Medicine Hat **

Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final
TRI-CITY VS. EVERETT
(Series E)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:05 PM Everett at Tri-City
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:05 PM Everett at Tri-City
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:05 PM Tri-City at Everett
Game 4 – Wed Mar 28 7:05 PM Tri-City at Everett
Game 5 – Sat Mar 31 7:05 PM Everett at Tri-City **
Game 6 – Mon Apr 2 7:05 PM Tri-City at Everett **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 4 7:05 PM Everett at Tri-City **

Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final
KAMLOOPS VS. VICTORIA
(Series F)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:00 PM Victoria at Kamloops
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:00 PM Victoria at Kamloops
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:05 PM Kamloops at Victoria
Game 4 – Wed Mar 28 7:05 PM Kamloops at Victoria
Game 5 – Fri Mar 30 7:00 PM Victoria at Kamloops **
Game 6 – Mon Apr 2 7:05 PM Kamloops at Victoria **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 4 7:00 PM Victoria at Kamloops **

Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final
PORTLAND VS. KELOWNA
(Series G)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:00 PM Kelowna at Portland (Memorial Coliseum)
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:00 PM Kelowna at Portland (Memorial Coliseum)
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:05 PM Portland at Kelowna
Game 4 – Thurs Mar 29 7:05 PM Portland @ Kelowna
Game 5 – Sat Mar 31 7:00 PM Kelowna @ Portland ** (venue TBD)
Game 6 – Mon Apr 2 7:05 PM Portland @ Kelowna **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 4 7:00 PM Kelowna @ Portland ** (Memorial Coliseum)

Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final
VANCOUVER vs. SPOKANE
(Series H)
Game 1 - Fri Mar 23 7:30 PM Spokane at Vancouver
Game 2 - Sat Mar 24 7:00 PM Spokane at Vancouver
Game 3 – Tues Mar 27 7:05 PM Vancouver @ Spokane
Game 4 – Wed Mar 28 7:05 PM Vancouver @ Spokane
Game 5 – Fri Mar 30 7:30 PM Spokane @ Vancouver **
Game 6 – Sun Apr 1 6:00 PM Vancouver @ Spokane **
Game 7 – Wed Apr 7:00 PM Spokane @ Vancouver **

** – if necessary

First Round Match-Ups are based on Conference Rankings with Division Champions seeded #1 and #2.

1^st vs 8^th, 2^nd vs 7^th, 3^rd vs 6^th and 4^th vs 5^th.
Second Round Match-Ups are based on Conference Rankings. 1^st vs 4^thand 2^nd vs 3^rd
All Series in the 2012 WHL Playoffs are best-of-seven formats.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.