WHL playoff preview:

Brandon Kozun finished the season on a high, but he didn't let it get to his head.

The Los Angeles Kings prospect claimed the Western Hockey League scoring title in the Calgary Hitmen's final game of the regular season. Kozun needed four points to edge Regina Pats star Jordan Eberle in the individual scoring race and, with four assists in an 8-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels last Sunday, Kozun accomplished the task.

He didn't dwell on it long, however.

"It's obviously a huge honor, but there's a trophy out there we still want to win and that's the goal right now," Kozun, who finished the year with 32 goals and a league-leading 75 assists, told the Calgary Herald after the game.

The Hitmen, who are facing the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Eastern Conference, are making their 13^th consecutive playoff appearance, and enter the post-season as the Husky WHL Eastern Conference's top seed for a third straight season. In addition to Kozun up front and a solid blueline, the Hitmen boast Martin Jones in net, who was named the CHL's top goaltender of the week earlier this month and is a finalist for the league's top goaltender award. The Warriors enter the postseason as the WHL Eastern Conference's eighth seed, and closed out the regular season with four straight defeats. The Warriors missed the postseason last year, but enjoyed a 37-point improvement in the standings this season to return to the playoffs. Draft-eligible forward Quinton Howden, who averaged a point a game, led the Warriors in scoring this season.

The second-seeded Brandon Wheat Kings face off against the seventh-seeded Swift Current Broncos. The Wheat Kings already have a berth in the Canadian Hockey League's Memorial Cup tournament as 2010 hosts. The Wheat Kings are led by three NHL draftees in Matt Calvert (Columbus, 2008), Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles, 2009) and Scott Glennie (Dallas, 2009). Defensively Travis Hamonic (New York Islanders, 2008) helps bolster the conference's second-best defensive team. The Broncos were led by Cody Eakin (Washington, 2009) who led the team with 91 points in 70 games – including 47 goals. Morgan Clark (Vancouver, 2008) led the team in net but has no postseason experience.

The third-seeded Saskatoon Blades will face the sixth seed Red Deer Rebels. The Blades feature one of the top offensive threats from the blue line in Stefan Elliott (Washington, 09). The Blades have two players ranked by NHL Central Scouting in the top 100 North American skaters – Curtis Hamilton (56^th) and Charles Inglis (68^th). The Rebels will look to an offensively challenged lineup which had a bright light in 16-year-old rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was second on the team in scoring with 65 points in 67 games. Defenseman Alex Petrovic is ranked 34^th among North American skaters.

The No. 4 ranked Kootenay Ice will be facing off against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Dustin Sylvester led the ice with 93 points and will look to continue his strong play in the playoffs. Buffalo Sabres prospect Brayden McNabb (66^th overall, 2009) also finished in the top five on the team in scoring. For the Tigers, Kings prospect Linden Vey leads the team offensively, while WHL rookie Emerson Etem had a strong season after joining team team from the U.S. National Under-18 team. Etem is ranked 13^th overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Goaltender Tyler Bunz was busy playing 57 games this season and is ranked 14^th overall among North American goalies.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Western Conference leading Tri-City Americans will face off against the eighth-ranked Chilliwack Bruins. The Americans boast a deep scoring pool, with seven players scoring 20 goals or more. Brendan Shinnimin led the way with 82 points, but Johnny Lazo led the club in goals with 39. One question remains in net, where Drew Owsley played 57 games in the regular season but was injured down the stretch.  Brooks Macek, third in team scoring, is ranked 101^st among draft-eligible North American skaters. The Bruins were led on offence by Ryan Howse (Calgary, 2009), who set a franchise record with 47 goals. Chilliwack also has two players ranked in the top 100 among North American skaters: Center Kevin Sundher (92^nd) and defenseman Tyler Stahl (96^th).

The second-seeded Vancouver Giants will be facing the seventh-seeded Kamloops Blazers. Craig Cunningham nearly cracked the 100-point plateau for the Giants, who feature six 20-goal scorers. Defenseman Kevin Connauton (Vancouver, 2008) led the defensive corps with 72 points in 69 games. The Blazers were led offensively by veteran CJ Stretch and second-year forward Brendan Ranford, who is ranked 168^th among North American skaters. He is also former NHLer Bill Ranford's nephew.

The third-seeded Everett Silvertips will be battling the sixth-seeded Kelowna Rockets. Shane Harper led the Silvertips with 42 goals and 80 points this season and four other players tallied 20 or more goals. Defensively the Silvertips allowed the fewest goals in the WHL. Rookies Radko Gudas and Ryan Murray led a defense that was a combined plus-136 this season. Gudas, ranked 136^th among North American skaters, is a prospect for the June draft. Goaltenders Kent Simpson and Thomas Heemskerk finished among the top five WHL netminders in GAA and save percentage. Heemskerk is the seventh-ranked North American goaltender. Tyson Barrie (Colorado, 2009) led the Rockets in scoring despite being a defenseman. Rookie Shane McColgan, just 16, also had a strong season with 69 points in 71 games – second among all WHL rookies in points. Brandon McMillan (Anaheim, 2008) rounded out the top three in scoring for the club. Adam Brown has enjoyed a solid season as the main man in net for the Rockets, but has no playoff games under his belt.

The fourth-seeded Spokane Chiefs will be battling the fifth-seeded Portland Winterhawks. Four 19-year-olds, Mitch Wahl (Calgary, 2008), Kyle Beach (Chicago, 2008) and undrafted Tyler Johnson led the Chiefs in scoring. Along with Levko Koper, they combined to score 145 of the team's 240 goals. On the blueline the Chiefs are led by NHL draftees Jared Spurgeon (New York Islanders, 2008) and 6-foot-5, 220-pound Jared Cowen, who was picked ninth overall by the Ottawa Senators in last year's draft. The Winterhawks will rely on Anaheim Ducks prospect Luca Sbisa on the back end, after enjoying a season that included NHL, World Junior Hockey Championship, and Olympic action. The young Winterhawks also feature a young crop of players that are draft-eligible this year, and on Central Scouting's 2010 North American skaters list. Nino Niederreiter leads the way at 14^th overall, while Ryan Johansen is 16^th, Troy Rutkowski is 43^rd, Bradley Ross is 60^th and Taylor Aronson is 90^th. Johansen and Ross were second and third in team scoring.

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