WESTERN CONFERENCE
Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. Manitoba MooseOpener: Wednesday at Winnipeg Arena (best of three)
Records: (4) Long Beach (44-31-7); (5) Manitoba (37-31-7)
These two teams met just last weekend in Winnipeg for their two final regular season games. They split those, with the Moose chasing NHL All-Star holdout Nikolai Khabibulin from the net after just 12 shots and four goals on Friday. Back-up goalie Marcel Cousineau took over and also played on Saturday when Long Beach beat the Moose 5-1. Manitoba led the Western Conference most of the season but barely hung on to make the playoff cut. They clinched their playoff spot, not with a win, but when Houston beat Kansas City last Tuesday. Long Beach, on the other hand, was near the bottom of the conference until Khabibulin decided to holdout for more money with Phoenix and signed with Long Beach.
Advantage: Long Beach. They have better goaltending, and they play two games at home where they are a slightly better team (at least according to statistics). The Moose are much worse on the road with a 15-22-4 record.
Utah Grizzlies vs. Houston Aeros
Opener: Tuesday, April 25 at the E Center (best of seven)
Records: (2) Utah (45-25-12); (3) Houston (44-29-9)
This will be one of the best series with two evenly matched teams and great goaltenders. The defending Turner Cup champion Aeros have the reigning IHL goalie of the week and former league MVP (1996-97) in Frederic Chabot. He's the third best goaltender, statistically. But Utah has last week's IHL goalie of the week and two netminders with nearly 400 NHL games experience. The Grizzlies also have some of the best forwards in the league, including a candidate for this year's league MVP honors Jarrod Skalde. Both have talented defensemen, although Utah has two who can score -- Darcy Werenka and Ted Crowley. In their last meeting, Utah beat Houston at the E Center, but the Grizz haven't fared well at the Compaq Center losing both times they played there this year.
Advantage: Utah. This team has it all, and when they put it together they're close to unbeatable. The playoff games also don't end in shootouts, something the Grizz have struggled with the last two months.
The Chicago Wolves are in first place and will meet the winner of the Manitoba/Long Beach series in the semi-finals. Their season record was (53-21-8).
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland Lumberjacks vs. Milwaukee Admirals
Opener: Friday, April 21 at the Bradley Center (best of three)
Records: (5) Milwaukee (37-36-8); (4) Cleveland (40-30-12)
The fourth-place Lumberjacks finished the season 6-2 against the Admirals. Milwaukee has two strong rookie-of-the-year candidates in defensemen Bubba Berenzweig and Jayme Filipowicz, but are 12th in a league of 13 teams on the penalty kill. The Admirals goalie Chris Mason has had two shutouts this season, the most recent Friday, April 15th against Michigan. The Lumberjacks have former Utah goaltender Ian Gordon, a runner-up for the IHL's goalie of the week this week. They also have former Grizzlies' forward Joe Frederick. The 'Jacks leading scorer is Brett Harkins who's had 19 goals and 46 assists this season, which is eighth in the league.
Advantage: Cleveland. It will be close, but the Admirals haven't played well against the Lumberjacks this season at home or away.
Orlando Solar Bears vs. Cincinnati Cyclones
Opener: Wednesday, April 26 at Orlando Arena
Records: (3) Cincinnati (44-30-8); (2) Orlando (47-23-12)
These two teams played each other very even this season, but both teams did better away from home. Orlando won once at home but five times in Cincinnati. The Cyclones beat the Bears four times in Florida but only once at home. Each team has two shorthanded goals against the other. Both teams have had goalie changes, so it's difficult to say which team has the advantage there. Forward Gilbert Dionne leads Cincinnati against the Solar Bears on offense with 14 points this season. Orlando's offense against the Cyclones is lead by Herbert Vasiljevs and Mark Beaufait with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Advantage: Cincinnati. There has to be one upset in the semifinals.
Grand Rapids is in first place in the East with a record of (47-23-12) and will play the winner of the Cleveland Milwaukee series.