CALGARY, Alberta – With most of the CJHL’s best players now playing in Kindersley for Canada East and Canada West at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge, the rest of the CJHL is still carrying on with their regular season games. The top teams in the country are still rolling along and padding their leads atop their respective leagues this past week.
The Penticton Vees have widened the gap in the Interior Division of the BCHL, while the Chilliwack Chiefs remain on top of the Mainland Division, and the Nanaimo Clippers push farther ahead in the Island Division by virtue of a solid three-game winning streak. In the AJHL, the Camrose Kodiaks, Spruce Grove Saints, Brooks Bandits, and the Okotoks Oilers, continue to shine in Alberta and remain the top teams in the league.
In Saskatchewan, the Melfort Mustangs have surged past the Kindersley Klippers, with both teams now separating from the rest of the SJHL. The Portage Terriers continue to roll with an astounding .934 winning percentage, while the Winnipeg Blues have snuck ahead of the Winkler Flyers for second place overall in the MJHL, but the Blues still having two games in hand over the Flyers. The Fort Frances Lakers thumped the Thunder Bay North Stars on December 13, and have opened a three-point cushion in the SIJHL. In the NOJHL, the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners have moved two points up on the Soo Thunderbirds, but the T-Birds still have two games in hand.
The Aurora Tigers are the first team to earn 25 wins in the OJHL, but the Georgetown Raiders and Cobourg Cougars remain within striking distance of the Tigers. The Carleton Place Canadians and the Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators continue to dominate the CCHL, with the Cornwall Colts and more recently, the Pembroke Lumber Kings, both starting to win consistently.
The Titan de Princeville are holding onto top spot in the standings of the LHJQ, while in the MHL, the Woodstock Slammers remain in first of the overall standings, and the Pictou County Weeks Crushers widened their grip on top spot in the Eastlink Division.
Top 20 Rankings
1. Portage Terriers (MJHL) (1)
2. Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) (2)
3. Penticton Vees (BCHL) (3)
4. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (6)
5. Aurora Tigers (OJHL) (5)
6. Woodstock Slammers (MHL) (4)
7. Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) (7)
8. Brooks Bandits (AJHL) (10)
9. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) (11)
10. Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) (9)
11. Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) (8)
12. Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (NOJHL) (12)
13. Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) (14)
14. Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) (13)
15. Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators (CCHL) (15)
16. Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) (16)
17. Winnipeg Blues (MJHL) (17)
18. Cobourg Cougars (OJHL) (HM)
19. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) (18)
20. Les Titan de Princeville (LHJQ) (19)
Honourable Mention: Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL), Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL), Cornwall Colts (CCHL), Les Cougars de Sherbrooke (LHJQ), Pictou County Weeks Crushers (MHL).
About the Pointstreak CJHL Top 20 Rankings – The Pointstreak CJHL Top 20 weekly rankings are produced in conjunction with International Scouting Services (ISS) and are based upon a variety of factors, including the league in which the team plays, winning percentage, win-loss record, total points accumulated, goals-for versus goals-against ratio, etc.