Glacier Nationals in hockey playoff semifinals

The Glacier Nationals open Northern Pacific Hockey League Cascade Cup playoff action tonight versus the West Sound Warriors in Bremerton, Wash.

The semifinal contest begins 8:30 p.m. Montana time.

The five-game series pits the Nationals (17-20-3-0 overall, 13-5-2-0 NORPAC), the fourth seed, against the Warriors (31-8-1-0), the top seed.

The two teams play again in Bremerton on Wednesday before the series heads to Montana for Game 3 Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Stumptown Ice Den in Whitefish.

If necessary, Games 4 and 5 will be played in Whitefish on Saturday and Sunday, 7:35 p.m. both days.

West Sound beat the Nationals in three of four meetings this season.

The Warriors’ Kai Wilkins is the league’s leading scorer with 46 goals, 73 assists and 119 points.

Teammate Josh Twietmeyer is third in scoring with 36 goals, 44 assists and 80 points.

In goal, Forrest Savel is 18-3 while Jordan Werezak is 13-5-1. Savel allows 3.14 goals per game and Werezak 2.76.

Tucker Spooner is Glacier’s leading scorer with 22 goals, 15 assists and 37 points in 17 NORPAC games.

Sebastan Adnell is next with 11 goals, 25 assists and 36 points in 20 games.

Tyler Huberty is 5-1-1 in goal, allowing 2.99 goals per game.

In the other semifinal matchup, it’s second seed Eugene Generals (25-14-0-1) versus third seed Bellingham Blazers (22-16-1-1).

The first two games are in Eugene tonight and Wednesday.

The series continues with games Friday and Saturday in Bellingham.

If a fifth game is needed, it would be played Sunday in Eugene.

Bellingham beat Eugene five times in nine meetings this season.

The semifinal winners move on to the finals next week.

This marks the Nationals first trip to the postseason.

Although Glacier ended the regular-season on Saturday with a five-game skid, it advanced because it held the tie-breaker with Tri-Cities. Both teams finished fourth in the NORPAC.

West Sound beat Tri-Cities on Sunday 7-3, which knocked Tri-Cities out of the playoffs.