2016-17 KIJHL Playoff Predictions

Trying to remove emotion from my picks, I will solely rely on the Power Rankings that I did yesterday to inform my 1st Round picks and playoff predictions. The numbers in brackets beside the teams are their power rank, and then the points in the power rank.

First Round
Beaver Valley Nitehawks (#2, 10) vs Grand Forks Border Bruins (#13, 55) - Nitehawks in 5 games
Castlegar Rebels (#9, 35) vs Nelson Leafs (#14, 57) - Rebels in 6 games
Creston Valley Thunder Cats (#3, 13) vs Columbia Valley Rockies (#19, 70) - Thunder Cats in 4 games
Kimberley Dynamiters (#7, 29) vs Fernie Ghostriders (#10, 37) - Dynamiters in 7 games

Osoyoos Coyotes (#1, 9) vs North Okanagan Knights (#16, 60) - Coyotes in 4 games
Summerland Steam (#5, 22) vs Kelowna Chiefs (#11, 40) - Summerland Steam in 6 games
Chase Heat (#4, 22) vs Revelstoke Grizzlies (#12, 49) - Heat in 6 games
100 Mile House Wranglers (#6, 25) vs Kamloops Storm (#8, 34) - Wranglers in 7 games

Series to watch in the first round
While all series will be worth watching, the Dynamiters vs Ghostriders and Wranglers vs Storm are statistically close matches.

Division Winners:
Beaver Valley Nitehawks
Creston Valley Thunder Cats
Osoyoos Coyotes
Chase Heat

Conference Winners:
Beaver Valley Nitehawks
Osoyoos Coyotes

League Winners:
Toss up between the Coyotes and Nitehawks, but given to Coyotes in 5 games. (remember the league finals and conference finals are 5 games)

Dark Horses (potential):
Defending league champions, 100 Mile House Wranglers showed their dominance in their own barn last year, and the same will ring true this run.
At the same time, the Kamloops Storm could be an upset team as well, as they come into the playoffs hot.
Summerland Steam, despite being cold coming into the playoffs have depth to make a run.
In the other conference, again the series to watch Dynamiters and Ghostriders are dark horses, but a true dark horse are the high flying Castlegar Rebels.
After naming 6 underdogs as potential disrupters, here are the True Dark Horses: 100 Mile House, Kamloops, Castlegar