The Western Hockey League Playoffs moved in the conference finals over the weekend with both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals hitting the ice for their opening games.

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In the Eastern Final, the Swift Current Broncos rode the momentum from the seven-game series win over Moose Jaw to a pair of wins on home ice over the Lethbridge Hurricanes to open the series.

The Broncos won Game 1 over the Hurricanes, 3-2, despite Lethbridge outshooting Swift Current, 41-30, in the game. Former Hurricane, now Broncos goalie Stuart Skinner made 39 saves, while Aleksi Heponiemi scored his first of the playoffs and finished with two points in the win.

In Game 2 on Saturday, Giorgio Estephan had a hat trick, including the overtime winner, to lift the Broncos to a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.

Swift Current had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on two goals from Estephan, but Lethbridge struck back with three goals from Jordy Bellerive, Dylan Cozens and Jadon Jospeh to take a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

Heponiemi's second of the playoffs tied the game midway through the third period and Estephan completed the hat trick 9:41 into the extra frame.

They will meet for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday in Lethbridge.

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The Everett Silvertips and Tri-City Americans split their opening two games over the weekend in the Western Conference Final.

Garrett Pilon scored twice for the Silvertips on Friday as they skated to a 3-2 win over the Americans in Game 1, which was Tri-City's first loss of the playoffs.

Connor Dewar chipped in with a goal and two points for Everett in the win.

The Americans struck back in Game 2 however and skated to a 5-3 win over the Silvertips to even the series heading to Kennewick.

Parker AuCoin paced the attack for Tri-City with two goals and three points, while Juuso Valimaki finished with three assists. Jordan Topping, Michael Rasmussen and Maxwell James also scored in the win.

They will play Game 3 on Monday and then meet for Game 4 on Thursday.