The Kootenay Ice look to build upon a three-game winning streak as they head east for four consecutive games this week, beginning with a Tuesday tilt in Swift Current against the Broncos.
The Ice own a 2-1-0-0 record against the Broncos to this point in the four-game season series, with Tuesday night representing the final meeting of the year between the two teams.
Tuesday’s contest holds playoff implications for both Eastern Conference teams.
At 29-25-1-4 (63 points) the Broncos hold down third place and a 10-point cushion on the fourth-place Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL’s East Division.
For the Central Division’s fourth-place Kootenay Ice (31-27-1-1, 64 points), the third-place Red Deer Rebels are within five-points reach.
The Ice hold the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card seed heading into Tuesday night, four points up on the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Ice forward Luke Philp leads the team in head-to-head scoring against the Broncos this season with two goals and an assist in three games.
Ice goaltender Wyatt Hoflin is 2-0-0-0 against the Broncos this season, turning aside 54 of the 69 shots he has faced.
Monday afternoon, the Ice announced Hoflin had been named the WHL’s nominee for Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week, after going 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, 0.968 save percentage and one shutout.
Hoflin leads all WHL goalies in minutes played (3,163) and shots against (1,689), while ranking second in saves (1,519) and third in wins (30).
Tuesday morning, the Canadian Hockey League announced Hoflin as the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Feb. 22, beating out Francois Brassard (Gatineau Olympiques) and Alex Nedeljkovic (Plymouth Whalers).