Following a breakout rookie season in the Western Hockey League, Yukoner Dylan Cozens and his Lethbridge Hurricanes team entered the playoffs – but for this experience, Cozens was no longer a rookie.

Even though it is his first full season in the league, Cozens was an integral part of the Hurricanes run to the conference finals in the 2016-17 season playoffs.

After playing only three regular season games that season, scoring one goal, Cozens played 12 playoff games and scored three goals with five assists in the team’s run.

Now back in the playoffs with a full season under his belt, Cozens has picked up where he left off.

Already leading the series 1-0, Cozens scored a hat trick and one assist in an 8-3 win over the Red Deer Rebels.

He added assists in Games 3 and 5 to bring his point total to six through five playoff games.

The Hurricanes won the series 4-1 and begin their second round matchup against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday in Lethbridge.

Cozens currently sits third in rookie scoring in the first round of the playoffs with the three goals and three assists.

But during the regular season, Cozens finished second in rookie scoring, one point back of Peyton Krebs. Cozens tallied 22 goals and 31 assists in 57 games – having played 10 games less than Krebs on the season.

He led all rookies in goals and power-play goals with eight.

For his success, Cozens was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Year and is one of two nominees for the league award, the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy.

The overall winner will be announced May 2.

The other nominee is defenceman Bowen Byram with the Vancouver Giants.

In Game 2 of the series against the Rebels, Cozens hat trick performance started with a short-handed goal in the first period after the Hurricanes were trailing early.

Only four minutes after that, Cozens added another on the power play.

Cozens added an assist on a second period goal by Taylor Ross to lead 5-2.

He completed the hat trick less than halfway through the game with another power-play marker. Cozens was named the second star for the game.

In the regular season, Cozens finished fourth in team scoring behind Jordy Bellerive, Brad Morrison – who was picked up midway through the season – and defenceman Calen Addison.

Cozens also finished second on the team in game-winning goals with four.