Fadden, Lethbridge to open vs. Calgary on Thursday

The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Calgary Hitmen will begin their WHL Eastern Conference championship series on Thursday in Calgary. There was a question of when and if No.1 Calgary would host the first couple games because the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League have a home game Saturday night and the NHL Flames would play the Sharks on Sunday should that series go 6 games.

Game 2 will be Friday night in Calgary before moving to Lethbridge Tuesday and Wednesday for Games 3 and 4.

Lethbridge, the East's No.3 seed who had the second-most points in the conference, went 5-1 vs. Calgary this year, including two shutouts. In their last meeting on March 9, the 'Canes won 4-3 in a game in which Lightning prospect Mitch Fadden had a goal and an assist and was named first star. For the regular season series, Fadden had 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points in the 6 games.

Fadden currently has 13 points in 11 playoff games, including 4 goals.

In the Western Conference, No.1 Tri-City, fresh off their 5 game series win over Riku Helenius and Seattle, will meet No.3 Spokane, who disposed of No.2 Vancouver in 6 games. That series will begin Friday.