One of the Eastern Conference's top teams will be out of the playoffs by Monday at the latest.

That's the reality as the Swift Current Broncos and Regina Pats prepare for the final push in their first round series with Game 5 set for tonight in Swift Current.

A few years ago the WHL moved from a playoff format that ranked all teams in the conference one through eight to one that pits divisional rivals against one another in the first and second rounds.

As a result of a divisional playoff format, this first round series between the Broncos and Pats features the second and third ranked teams in the conference. At the same time, the seventh and eighth ranked teams are facing off in the Central Division series between Lethbridge and Red Deer.

The gap between the two Eastern Conference divisions isn't always this significant, but the WHL has other motives for their current format.

"Conference playoffs makes a lot of sense purely from a hockey standpoint," said WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. "But you have to look at the demands on the players and the travel demands we have with our geography."



The goal of an easier travel schedule has been reached in three of the four first round series with the Broncos/Pats, Hurricanes/Rebels and Prince Albert Raiders/Moose Jaw Warriors all being relatively close to one-another. Brandon and Medicine Hat still face a significant travel burden due to the Wheat Kings crossing over from the East to the Central Division with wild card spot.

Encouraging local rivalries is another goal of the divisional format. This is the third time in four seasons the Pats and Broncos have met since the change in playoff formats.

"When you look at our league we have got the best rivalries of any league in the game," Robison noted. "In North America we could put our rivalries up against anybody. Our regular season schedule is divisional based, so why not have our playoffs divisional based?"

East Division teams do play opponents in their own division six or eight teams throughout the season versus only four times for their Central Division opponents.

That makes it even more impressive the East Division featured six of the top seven records in the conference this season.

Swift Current finished with the second best record in the division, conference and WHL as a whole. It was an impressive regular season both on and off the ice for a club that set new attendance records.

"It's always a challenge in a small market," Robison said. "In capacity in terms of selling you need to be sure you're operating at almost 90% in almost every area whether it's sponsorship or ticket sales. Now that they have a championship caliber team it's over the top in terms of interest and attendance. It's a credit to the board and a credit to the staff and the work that is done, because it takes an awful lot to get there in a community like Swift Current."

The WHL attempts to keep an even playing field as much as it can between the big city teams and the smaller markets. That's a gap they believe strong hockey people can bridge.

"The economics are always difficult to manage," Robison said. "Certain ownership have more resources available to them than others, but at the same time at the end of the day people recognize the quality of your hockey program is the main driver. You've got to have good people on the scouting side to select the talent, good coaching to develop the talent, but overall good management on the hockey side. That's the difference maker quite frankly in the franchises that separate themselves in the league."

Game 5 of the tied series between the Pats and Broncos is set for the sold out Innovation Credit Union iPlex tonight with Game 6 tomorrow in Regina. You can listen live on The Eagle 94.1 FM with Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm.