The Hitmen are 8-0 in the playoffs with sweeps over Edmonton and Lethbridge.
Hitmen outscored the Hurricanes 19-4.
Last summer as I tried to make some early predictions I thought it was going to be a Lethbridge vs Kelowna WHL Final with Brandon and Spokane also in the final 4.
Hurricanes finished in 7th place in the conference and earned only 4 playoff wins. For some reason they never got themselves to the level that was expected. The roster had 2 solid 20-year-old defensemen in Ben Wright and Mitch Versteeg. Can't ask for a better combination of 19-year-old forwards in Zach Boychuk, Colton Sceviour, Carter Bancks and Dwight King. The 2 Import players were major contributors in goalie Juha Metsola and Luca Sbisa. 3 1st round NHL Draft picks in Boychuk, Sbisa, Kyle Beach and another potential 1st rounder in Carter Ashton. Head Coach Michael Dyck was the 2008 Eastern Conference Coach of the Year. Tons of playoff experience after going to the league finals last year. Yet they never got it going.
For Calgary it's the 3rd consecutive year in the East Final. In 08 they lost to Lethbridge and 07 to Medicine Hat. In 06 & 05 they lost in game 7 of the 2nd round or they could be in the Conference final for 5 years in a row.