This weekend will see 13 games played across the AJHL with six of those games being interdivisional.
Bonnyville Pontiacs (9-9-5)
The Bonnyville Pontiacs have the weekend off. Having the weekend off could be a bad thing as the Pontiacs are within two points of the fourth place Oil Barons and are one point back of the fifth place Thunder, both of whom are playing twice this weekend. The Pontiacs have struggled going 2-5-3 in their last ten games. A positive thing for Pontiacs is by the end of the weekend they will have three games in hand of the Oil Barons and two of the Thunder. The Pontiacs will be back in action on November 21st when they travel to Calgary to take on the Canucks.
Drayton Valley Thunder (10-9-4)
The Drayton Valley Thunder will play twice this weekend on the road as they try and move into fourth place in the Viterra North Division. Friday they will be in Canmore to take on the Eagles for the second and final time this season. The Thunder earned a 3-2 shootout victory against the Eagles last Sunday. Puck drop for the game will be at 7:00. Saturday the Thunder will be in Calgary to battle the Canucks. It's the first of two meetings between the two teams this season. Puck drop for Saturday's game will be at 7:00.
Fort McMurray Oil Barons (11-10-3)
The Fort McMurray Oil Barons will play three interdivisional road games. Fort McMurray enters the weekend just two points behind the third place Crusaders and have gone 3-5-2 in their last ten games. The Oil Barons will open the weekend on Saturday night in Spruce Grove against the Saints. Friday they will have a chance to make up ground on the Crusaders as the travel to Sherwood Park. It's the second meeting of the season between the two teams; The Oil Barons defeated the Crusaders 4-2 last Saturday. Puck drop will be at 7:00. Saturday will be the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams. The Saints have won all three games in the season series. Puck drop will be at 7:00. Sunday afternoon the Oil Barons will be in Whitecourt to take on the Wolverines for the second time this season. The Wolverines took the first meeting of the season last month by a 5-4 score. Puck drop on Sunday afternoon will be at 2:30.
Grande Prairie Storm (9-17-0)
The Grande Prairie Storm will host a pair of South division teams this weekend. Friday night will be the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The Bandits defeated the Storm 5-1 in October. Saturday night it will be the first meeting of the season between the Storm and Calgary Mustangs. Both games at Revolution Arena will start at 7:30.
Lloydminster Bobcats (15-7-2)
Like the Bonnyville Pontiacs, the Lloydminster Bobcats will get a chance to rest this weekend. The Bobcats are riding high having won two in a row including a 4-3 win over the Saints on Wednesday. In their past ten games, the Bobcats are 7-2-1. The Bobcats are solidly in second spot in the Viterra North Division with 32 points. They trail the Saints by six points and lead the Crusaders by three. The Bobcats will be back in action on November 18th when they travel to Grande Prairie to take on the Storm.
Sherwood Park Crusaders (13-10-3)
Sherwood Park will play a pair of home games this weekend. The Crusaders enter the weekend three points behind the Bobcats for second and four points ahead of the Oil Barons for fourth place in the Viterra North Division. The Crusaders are 5-3-2 in their last ten games. Friday night they will host the Fort McMurray Oil Barons in the second meeting of the season between the two clubs. The Crusaders lost the first meeting last Saturday in Fort McMurray. Saturday the Crusaders will host the Drumheller Dragons; it will be the first of two meetings between the two teams this year. Puck drop for both games at the Sherwood Park Arena will be at 7:00.
Spruce Grove Saints (18-5-2)
The Spruce Grove Saints will play just once this weekend. The Saints are comfortably in first place in the Viterra North Division, holding a six point lead on the idle Lloydminster Bobcats. The Saints are 8-2 in their last ten games as they will host the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Saturday night. It's the fourth of six meetings between the two teams this season. The Saints have dominated the Oil Barons in all three games outscoring them 17-6. Puck drop at the Grant Fuhr Arena will be at 7:00.
Whitecourt Wolverines (7-15-3)
The Whitecourt Wolverines will play a pair of home games this weekend. The Wolverines enter the weekend one point behind the Grande Prairie Storm for the final playoff spot in the Viterra North Division. The Wolverines are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and will be glad to be home where they sport a 5-6-2 record. Saturday night they will host the Brooks Bandits in the first of two meetings between the two teams. Puck drop at the Scott Safety Center will be at 7:30. Sunday afternoon the Wolverines will host the Fort McMurray Oil Barons for the second time this season. The Wolverines earned a 5-4 win over the Oil Barons back on October 4th. Puck drop for Sunday afternoon's game at the Scott Safety Center will be at 2:30.
Brooks Bandits (15-6-1)
The Brooks Bandits will hit the road to the north for a pair of games. The Bandits enter the weekend just two points behind the Dragons for third place and four back of the Oilers for second in Viterra South Division. The Bandits are 8-1-1 in their last ten games but are just 5-5 on the road this season. Friday they will be Grande Prairie to take on the Storm. Alex Roberts scored twice to help the Bandits to a 5-1 victory over the Storm on October 18th in their first meeting of the season. Saturday the Bandits will take on the Whitecourt Wolverines. Saturday will be the first of two meetings between the two teams this season. The Bandits have never lost to Whitecourt. Puck drop for both games will be at 7:30.
Calgary Canucks (8-12-4)
The Calgary Canucks will play twice this weekend, once at home and once on the road. The Canucks enter the weekend just three points back of the Olds Grizzlys and Canmore Eagles for fifth spot in Viterra South division. The Canucks have not done so well in their last ten games going 2-5-3 in that time. Friday the Canucks will be in Olds to take on the Grizzlys for the third time this season. The Canucks defeated Olds (at Max Bell) 4-3 in the previous two games; the last meeting between the two teams was played last Saturday. Puck drop for Friday's game will be at 7:00. Saturday night the Canucks will host the Drayton Valley Thunder for the first time this season. Puck drop at the Max Bell Center will be at 7:00.
Calgary Mustangs (7-16-1)
Like the Brooks Bandits, the Mustangs will travel north for a pair of road games this weekend. The Mustangs enter the weekend five points back of the Calgary Canucks for the final playoff spot in the Viterra South Division. The Mustangs are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and 4-8 on the road this season. Saturday night the Mustangs will be in Grande Prairie for the first of two meetings with the Storm. Puck drop will be at 7:30 for that game. Sunday afternoon the Mustangs will be in Spruce Grove to take on the Saints. It will be the first of two meetings between the two teams. Puck drop in Spruce Grove will be at 2:00.
Camrose Kodiaks (18-2-2)
The Kodiaks will play two interdivisional home games this weekend. The Kodiaks enter the weekend with a three point lead over the Okotoks Oilers for first place in the Viterra South Division and will have a chance to put some more distance between themselves and the Oilers. The Kodiaks are 8-1-1 in their last ten games and are 7-2-1 on home ice this season. Friday night the Kodiaks will host the Oilers in the second of six meetings between the two teams this season. The Kodiaks lost the first meeting 5-4 in overtime. Saturday night the Kodiaks will host the Grizzlys in the second battle of the bears this season. Nelson Gadoury had a hat trick as the Kodiaks edged the Grizzlys 4-3 in their first meeting of the season. Puck drop for both games at the Edgeworth Center will be at 7:00.
Canmore Eagles (11-12-1)
The Canmore Eagles will play just once this weekend. The Eagles enter the weekend tied with the Grizzlys for fifth in Viterra South Division and three points ahead of the Canucks for seventh. The Grizzlys are 3-5-2 in their last ten games and 6-6 at home this season. Friday the Eagles will host the Drayton Valley Thunder in the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. Canmore lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Thunder last Saturday in Drayton Valley. Puck drop at the Canmore Recreation Center will be at 7:00.
Drumheller Dragons (15-5-3)
The Drumheller Dragons will play just one game this weekend, and it will be on the road. The Dragons enter the weekend just two points back of the Okotoks Oilers for second and two points up on the Brooks Bandits for third in the Viterra South Division. Drumheller is 7-2-2 on the road and 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. Saturday the Dragons will be in Sherwood Park to battle the Crusaders for the first of two meetings this season. Puck drop on Saturday will be at 7:00.
Okotoks Oilers (16-7-3)
The Okotoks Oilers will play just one game this weekend, and it will be on the road. The Oilers enter the weekend three points behind the Kodiaks for the top spot in Viterra South Division. The Oilers are 7-2-1 in their last ten games and are 9-5 on the road. Friday's game will be the second meeting of the season. The Oilers scored twice in the final minute of regulation and then scored in overtime to defeat the Kodiaks 5-4 in overtime back on October 11th. Puck drop for Friday's game will be at 7:00.
Olds Grizzlys (10-10-3)
The Olds Grizzlys will play two interdivisional games this weekend. The Grizzlys enter the weekend tied for fifth place in the Vitera South Division with the Canmore Eagles. Olds is 3-5-2 in their last ten games. Friday the Grizzlys will host the Calgary Canucks in the third of six meetings between the two teams this season. The Grizzlys have dropped both games to the Canucks this year. Puck drop at the Olds Sportsplex will be at 7:00 on Friday night. Saturday the Grizzlys will hit the road to take on the Camrose Kodiaks in the second battle of the bears this season. The two teams haven't met since opening night when the Grizzlys fell 4-3 to Camrose. Puck drop for Saturday's game will be at 7:00.
Don't forget if you can't make it to the rink then you can watch all the games live on AJHL Web TV at www.fasthockey.com.
By Chris Colwell