After 11 days off from the end of the Heritage Junior Hockey League until tonight (February 21st), the Airdrie Thunder are set to roll for the start of the second round of playoffs but the first for them.  

The Thunder haven't seen game action since Saturday, February 10th when they knocked off Ponoka in their last game of the regular season.  Their opponents, the Blackfalds Wranglers, have had just five days of rest since they eliminated Ponoka in two straight in the first round of playoffs.

Tonight's the first game of a best of five series that starts at Airdrie's Ron Ebbesen Arena.

During the regular season, these two teams met four times and ended up splitting the contests.  Airdrie finished second in the league's Northern Division with 50 points while Blackfalds were right behind them in third with 46 points.

The puck drops for tonight's contest at 7:30 pm.

The second game will also be played in Airdrie on Friday night.  Whoever takes the series will go on to face the winner between Mountainview and Red Deer in the Northern final.  

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