MONDAY COMMENTARY – “IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME …”

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)

The tune keeps echoing in my head … “It’s the most wonderful time of the year …”

The junior hockey playoffs are officially in full swing and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are right around the corner.

The Western Hockey League playoffs will begin this weekend and the match-ups are salacious:

Regina vs Saskatoon, Red Deer vs Calgary, Winnipeg vs Medicine Hat and Moose Jaw vs Lethbridge.

We’ll worry about the Dub Western Conference match-ups a few series from now because there’s far too much to delve into on this side.

As we all know, the playoffs are a new season so you likely should throw the season series out the window. But it also serves as a good guideline, and the Blades beat the Pats four out of six in the regular year. Connor Bedard had nine points in five of those games. He could win the series all by himself, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Blades try to take him out.

As for the Warriors, they won the season series 3-1 against the Hurricanes but are ending the season amid all kinds of controversy. Will that transfer to the ice? Time will tell.

It’s always interesting to note at this time who missed the playoffs and that includes Brandon, Edmonton, P.A. and Swift Current. Most of those teams have been in league finals the past couple years and the Wheat Kings have been a perennial favourite forever.

It goes to show the ups and downs of the junior loop.

And who can forget about the S-J?

Not me.

Humboldt, Melfort and the Battlefords are through to the second round while Estevan and Flin Flon are going to a Game 7 on Tuesday in the Whitney Forum.

Go to the league websites for all the scores and schedules! I’m sure those leagues’ web hits are at an all-time high.

I know mine are.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV, YouTube Live and WQEE Radio)