1. Goaltenders on hot seat
Goaltending will be important in a playoff series? Gee, what a surprise. But this one’s a bit different. Neither starting goaltender — Mack Shields for the Calgary Hitmen and Jordan Papirny with the Brandon Wheat Kings — get much of the spotlight when their teams win. With all the offensive talent on both rosters, the only times the goaltenders are talked about is when they’re giving up a softy or getting yanked. Shields, despite a couple ‘oopsies’ from the neutral zone, outplayed Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Marek Langhamer in the last round.