CHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

Playoffs begin this week for the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League and seven Flames prospects will be playing in the postseason:

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Dillon Dube and Kelowna (42-22-7; 93 points) vs. Juuso Valimaki and Tri-City (38-25-9; 85 points)
Two top Flames prospects will go head-to-head in the opening round of the WHL Playoffs with Dillon Dube and the Rockets battling it out with Juuso Valimaki and the Americans. Kelowna had a tremendous run this season, sitting atop the B.C. Division with 93 points. Tri-City finished off the year in the first Wildcard spot in the Western Conference thanks to their 85-point year.
Both Dube and Valimaki played major roles for their clubs this season. Dube, who captained Canada to gold at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, ended up with 38 goals and 84 points in just 53 skates, averaging 1.58 points-per-game in the regular season. The Cochrane, AB native was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft, going 56th overall. Valimaki has been a pillar of strength on the blueline for the Americans, playing in all situations all year. The defenceman, who captained Finland at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, put up 45 points in 43 games this season and is heading into the playoffs on a four-game point streak (one goal, seven points). Valimaki was the Flames' first round pick in last year's draft.
Game 1 - Thursday, Mar. 22 in Kelowna
Game 2 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Kelowna
Game 3 - Wednesday, Mar. 28 in Kennewick
Game 4 - Thursday, Mar. 29 in Kennewick
Game 5 - Saturday, Mar. 31 in Kelowna
Game 6 - Sunday, Apr. 1 in Kennewick
Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Kelowna

Glenn Gawdin and Swift Current (48-17-7; 103 points) vs. Regina (40-25-7; 87 points)
The two Saskatchewan rivals will face off in the first round of the playoffs thanks to Regina locking up third place in the East Division with a tense 3-2 overtime win over the Broncos last Friday. Swift Current landed in second place in the divison with a strong 103-point campaign that saw three of their forwards put up over 100 points.
Glenn Gawdin is in the midst of the best season of his career. The 20-year-old put up a career-high 56 goals and 125 points through 67 games and signed an entry-level deal with the Flames earlier in the year. Gawdin led his club in scoring and also led them in powerplay goals (21), shots on net (270), plus/minus ratings (plus-21), short-handed goals (3), and was tied for the lead in game-winning goals (8). Gawdin signed with the Flames as a free agent on Nov. 16, 2017. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by St. Louis but the Blues did not sign him.
Game 1 - Friday, Mar. 23 in Swift Current
Game 2 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Swift Current
Game 3 - Monday, Mar. 26 in Regina
Game 4 - Wednesday, Mar. 28 in Regina
Game 5 - Friday, Mar. 30 in Swift Current
Game 6 - Saturday, Mar. 31 in Regina
Game 7 - Monday, Apr. 2 in Swift Current

Matthew Phillips and Victoria (39-27-6; 84 points) vs. Vancouver (36-27-9; 81 points)
The B.C. Division neighbors will renew hostilities in Round One of the postseason after jostling for position in the standings all season. Victoria edged Vancouver to land in second place in their division, putting up 84 points to the Giants' 81. This will be the first playoff match-up between the franchises since the Chilliwack Bruins left the Lower Mainland. The last time the two franchises met in the post-season was in 2008, with the Giants downing the Bruins in four straight games in the first round.
Matthew Phillips continues to be the Royals' offensive catalyst, leading them with 48 goals and 112 points in 71 games. He ended the regular season fifth in the WHL scoring race and set a new career-high in points. The Flames drafted the Calgary product in the sixth round, 166th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Game 1 - Friday, Mar. 23 in Victoria
Game 2 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Victoria
Game 3 - Tuesday, Mar. 27 in Langley
Game 4 - Wednesday, Mar. 28 in Langley
Game 5 - Saturday, Mar. 31 in Victoria
Game 6 - Monday, Apr. 2 in Langley
Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Victoria

Zach Fischer and Spokane (41-25-6; 88 points) vs. Portland (44-22-6; 94 points)
The Spokane Chiefs ended the regular season sitting in third in the U.S. Division with 88 points on the year, getting them back into the postseason after missing it in 2017. The Chiefs faced off against the Winterhawks in their final regular season game, edging Portland 5-4 in a shootout. Portland earned second spot in the division with 94 points.
Zack Fischer, the Flames' fifth round pick in last summer's draft, was traded to the Chiefs in mid-October and has put up 21 goals and 35 points in 43 games with Spokane. The 20-year-old has not played since Feb. 10 due to injury but is expected back for the first round of the playoffs.
Game 1 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Portland
Game 2 - Sunday, Mar. 25 in Portland
Game 3 - Wednesday, Mar. 28 in Spokane
Game 4 - Thursday, Mar. 29 in Spokane
Game 5 - Saturday, Mar. 31 in Portland
Game 6 - Monday, Apr. 2 in Spokane
Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Portland

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE

Adam Ruzicka and Sarnia (46-17-5; 97 points) vs. Windsor (32-30-6; 70 points)
The Sting head into their first-round match-up with the Spitfires as the higher seed, finishing the 2017-18 campaign second in the West Division with 97 points. While Windsor finished third in the division, there was a 27-point difference between the two clubs.
Adam Ruzicka, Calgary's fourth round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, put up career-high in goals (36), assists (36) and points (72) in 63 skates. 11 of his goals came on the powerplay and he netted 10 game-winners this year. In the face-off circle, he won 59 percent of his draws. Ruzicka is heading into the playoffs with nine points in his last eight games.
Game 1 - Friday, Mar. 23 in Sarnia
Game 2 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Sarnia
Game 3 - Tuesday, Mar. 27 in Windsor
Game 4 - Thursday, Mar. 29 in Windsor
Game 5 - Friday, Mar. 30 in Sarnia
Game 6 - Sunday, Apr. 1 in Windsor
Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Sarnia

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

D'Artagnan Joly and Baie-Comeau (30-33-5; 65 points) vs. Halifax (43-18-7; 93 points)
The Drakkar finished the season sitting fourth in the QMJHL's East Division with 65 points while Halifax clinched second in the Maritimes Division with 93 points. Baie-Comeau had an up-and-down season and finished the year 0-3-0. Halifax heads into the match-up with two wins in their last three skates.
After missing a bit of time at the start of the season with an injury, D'Artagnan Joly came in and immediately established himself as an impact player for Baie-Comeau. He finished second in team scoring with 23 goals and 68 points in 55 games, both of which were career-highs for the Gatineau, QC native. Seven of his tallies came on the powerplay and he put up four game-winners in the regular season. Joly was the Flames' sixth round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Game 1 - Friday, Mar. 23 in Halifax
Game 2 - Saturday, Mar. 24 in Halifax
Game 3 - Tuesday, Mar. 27 in Baie-Comeau
Game 4 - Wednesday, Mar. 28 in Baie-Comeau
Game 5 - Friday, Mar. 20 in Baie-Comeau
Game 6 - Monday, Apr. 2 in Halifax
Game 7 - Tuesday, Apr. 3 in Halifax