The Lethbridge Hurricanes take on the Swift Current Broncos in the 2024 WHL playoffs beginning on Friday, March 29. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Hurricanes readying up for first round series against Broncos

Mar 28, 2024 | 1:22 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes kick off their 2024 playoff run on Friday, March 29 when they take on the Swift Current Broncos.

The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth on March 16 with a 3-2 overtime victory against the Red Deer Rebels. They then finished up their final three games of the season and finished with the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Hurricanes finished the regular season with a 33-28-7 record, scoring 214 goals and allowing 210. The latter stat represented the fifth lowest in the entire Western Hockey League.

On the season, the team was led in scoring by forward Miguel Marques, who is eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. In 67 games, Marques netted 28 goals and 46 assists. He was trailed by Brayden Edwards, who had 31 goals and 39 assists for 70 points in one fewer game.

Much of the success of the team came from their strong defense and goaltending. Noah Chadwick, Logan McCutcheon, Tristen Doyle and captain Joe Arntsen all played in over 60 games for the club, and each chipped in at least 20 points.

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Chadwick led in scoring by a defenceman with 56 points, as he was named the team’s top d-man and earned a spot on the WHL Central Division Second All-Star Team.

READ MORE: Lethbridge Hurricanes celebrate season award winners

In net, Harrison Meneghin led the way for the team with a stellar season. He played in 53 games for Lethbridge this season, and finished with a 27-20-5 record. Meneghin’s 2.59 goals against average (GAA) was good for sixth in the WHL, while his .919 save percentage placed him in second. Meneghin also recieved recognition from the league, being named to the WHL Central Division First All-Star team.

READ MORE: Two Hurricanes, Lethbridge local named to WHL All-Star Teams

Swift Current Broncos

On the other end of the ice, the Swift Current Broncos are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2018, when they faced off against the Hurricanes. The Broncos finished second place in the Eastern Conference, having won the Central Division with a 40-22-4 record.

The team was led by Clarke Caswell on the scoresheet who had 26 goals and 51 assists for 77 points on the season. The Broncos got a big boost to their roster at the WHL trade deadline this season, acquiring superstar forward Conor Geekie from the Wenatchee Wild. Geekie played the final 29 games for the Broncos and put up a whopping 50 points in those contests.

The team’s big three of Geekie, defenceman Owen Pickering and goaltender Reid Dyck were also named to the Central Division All-Star teams. Geekie and Pickering made the first team, while Dyck was the netminder for the second team with a 2.70 GAA and a .911 save percentage.

On the season, the teams played eight games against each other, and Lethbridge took the season series with a 4-3-1 record. However, the last time the two teams faced off in the playoffs in 2018, the Broncos bested the Hurricanes four games to two.

Games one and two will take place at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current, while the ENMAX Centre will host games three and four. The two teams will alternate games five through seven if needed.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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