Victoria and Prince George are separated by one point but three spots in the standings, since the B.C. winner gets the automatic No. 2 in the West first round and the runner-up is slotted with other U.S. teams.
The WHL’s B.C. Division could wind up in a photo finish, but the first- and second-place teams could wind up with distinctly different playoff paths.
Before the action around the league Wednesday, the Victoria Royals (25-13-3-5) had a one-point cushion over the Prince George Cougars (26-15-3-2) atop the five-team provincial loop. Both teams had 22 games left in the regular season, as did the Vancouver Giants (23-17-6-0), who were six points in back of Victoria.
By league rules, the B.C. champion automatically gets a top-two seed for the first round of the eight-team Western Conference playoffs, regardless of the point totals of the U.S. Division clubs in the group.
That had Victoria at No. 2 on Wednesday morning, behind only the Everett Silvertips (34-6-4-3). The Spokane Chiefs (30-16-0-0) and the Portland Winterhawks (27-16–2-1) — based on the more-wins tiebreaker — were both ahead of Prince George as well, slotting the Cougars three spots behind Victoria at No. 5.
That means that if the playoffs started today, the Royals would have home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven first round on the No. 7 Tri-City Americans (22-18-4-1), who were nine points behind them to start Wednesday. At the same time, the Winterhawks, who had the same points as the Cougars, would have home ice against Prince George.
There’s room for jockeying, with a mere eight points separating Nos. 2 and 6.
Here’s a look at what’s remaining for the 11 teams in the West: (Keep in mind that all statistics are as of Wednesday morning.)
1. Everett Silvertips
Overall record: 34-6-4-3, 75 points
Home/away record: 19-3-1-2; 15-3-3-1
Games remaining: 21
Home/away split: 9/12
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing the Wenatchee Wild in the first round.
Fun fact: Everett has been outshot by their opponents just three times this season. The Calgary Hitmen are next-best with seven.
2. Victoria Royals
Overall record: 25-13-3-5, 58 points
Home/away record: 10-6-2-5; 15-7-1-0
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 11/11
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Tri-City.
Fun fact: The Royals have four more games with both the Cougars and the Giants. They end the regular season with a doubleheader in Prince George on March 21-22. Victoria is 3-0-0-1 against Vancouver and 1-2-0-1 versus Prince George so far this year.
3. Spokane Chiefs
Overall record: 30-16-0-0, 60 points
Home/away record: 16-6-0-0; 14-10-0-0
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 12/10
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Vancouver.
Fun fact: Winger Andrew Cristall has five goals and 18 points in seven games since coming over from Kelowna in a blockbuster a day before the Jan. 9 trade deadline. Spokane is 4-3-0-0 in those games.
4. Portland Winterhawks
Overall record: 27-16-2-1, 57 points
Home/away record: 13-8-1-0; 14-8-1-1
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 12/10
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Prince George.
Fun fact: The Cougars and the Winterhawks have already played their four-game season series, so there’s no showdowns down the stretch to help secure placing.
5. Prince George Cougars
Overall record: 26-15-3-2, 57 points
Home/away record: 15-3-3-2; 11-12-0-0
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 11/11
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Portland.
Fun fact: Not surprising considering their travel, the Cougars are fifth in the league at home and 10th on the road.
6. Vancouver Giants
Overall record: 23-17-6-0, 52 points
Home/away record: 14-7-2-0; 9-10-4-0
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 11/11
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Spokane.
Fun fact: Vancouver is 15-4-0-0 when outshooting an opponent, which is one of the league’s better winning percentages in that category. They’re 8-13-6-0 when being outshot.
7. Tri-City Americans
Overall record: 22-18-4-1, 49 points
Home/away record: 13-8-2-1; 9-10-2-0
Games remaining: 23
Home/away split: 10/13
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Victoria.
Fun fact: Tri-City is 13-3-4-1 in one-goal games. That’s a league-best for wins in that situation.
8. Wenatchee Wild
Overall record: 17-24-3-1, 38 points
Home/away record: 9-15-2-0; 8-9-1-1
Games remaining: 23
Home/away split: 8/15
If the playoffs started today: They would be playing Everett.
Fun fact: Wenatchee still has their Eastern Conference road trip remaining. It’s a six-gamer that starts Friday in Saskatoon.
9. Kamloops Blazers
Overall record: 17-24-3-0, 37 points
Home/away record: 10-9-1-0; 7-15-2-0
Games remaining: 24
Home/away split: 14/10
If the playoffs started today: Wouldn’t qualify.
Fun fact: They’ve got a two-game Alberta trip remaining, visiting Lethbridge and Medicine Hat on Feb. 21-22.
10. Kelowna Rockets
Overall record: 16-22-4-1, 37 points
Home/away record: 8-11-3-1; 8-11-1-0
Games remaining: 25
Home/away split: 11-14
If the playoffs started today: Wouldn’t qualify.
Fun fact: They have eight straight games on the road starting Feb. 22 at the Giants. There’s a five-game jaunt through Alberta included in that set.
11. Seattle Thunderbirds
Overall record: 16-27-2-1, 35 points
Home/away record: 11-10-1-1; 5-17-1-0
Games remaining: 22
Home/away split: 11/11
If the playoffs started today: Wouldn’t qualify.
Fun fact: They have seven games left in their 10-game season series with Portland. That’s nearly one-third of their remaining schedule with a single team. Portland is 2-1-0-0 against Seattle this season so far and went 8-0-2-0 against them last year.