CALGARY, Alta. – Heading into the second week of November, several teams from across the 132-team Canadian Junior Hockey League are enjoying lengthy winning streaks and are making strong moves to the top of their respective league standings.
In the BCHL, the Wenatchee Wild and the Penticton Vees are leading the way in winning percentage and both clubs still have games in hand on the Island Division leaders.
The Fort McMurray Oil Barons sit atop the overall AJHL standings with 16 wins and are now being closely pursued by the Whitecourt Wolverines, who are enjoying a seven-game winning streak.
In SJHL play, the Battlefords North Stars have racked up eight straight triumphs and pace the leaderboard ahead of the Nipawin Hawks and the Estevan Bruins.
The Steinbach Pistons remain in first in the MJHL, ahead of the fast-charging Portage Terriers.
The Thunder Bay North Stars of the SIJHL have won four in succession and sit in first there.
In the NOJHL, the Powassan Voodoos are riding an eight-game winning streak and are ahead of the Cochrane Crunch and the Timmins Rock in winning percentage.
The 2017 RBC Cup host Cobourg Cougars and the Georgetown Raiders share the best win mark in the OJHL with the Trenton Golden Hawks not far off.
Meanwhile the Carleton Place Canadians are attempting to distance themselves from the other extremely competitive CCHL clubs with the Hawkesbury Hawks, Kemptville 73’s and Smiths Falls Bears in pursuit.
The No. 1 CJHL-ranked College Français de Longueuil and No. 7 Les Cobras de Terrebonne are still leading the way in the LHJQ.
A look at the MHL sees the Yarmouth Jr. ‘A’ Mariners of the MHL are still on top while the Pictou County Weeks Crushers are also in the hunt.
The following are the latest CJHL Top 20 rankings:
CJHL TOP 20 (As of Nov. 7)
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK)
1. College Francais de Longueuil (LHJQ) (1)
2. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (2)
3. Cobourg Cougars (OJHL) (4)
4. Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) (5)
5. Wenatchee Wild (BCHL) (6)
6. Penticton Vees (BCHL) (7)
7. Les Cobras de Terrebonne (LHJQ) (3)
8. Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) (8)
9. Portage Terriers (MJHL) (15)
10. Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) (11)
11. Yarmouth Jr. ‘A’ Mariners (MHL) (9)
12. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) (14)
13. Battlefords North Stars (SJHL) (HM)
14. Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL) (NR)
15. Cochrane Crunch (NOJHL) (19)
16. Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) (NR)
17. Bonnyville Pontiacs (AJHL) (16)
18. Thunder Bay North Stars (SIJHL) (NR)
19. Timmins Rock (NOJHL) (NR)
20. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (20)
Honourable Mention: Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL); Estevan Bruins (SJHL); OCN Blizzard (MJHL); Whitby Fury (OJHL); Pictou County Weeks Crushers (MHL).
ABOUT THE TOP 20 RANKINGS: The CJHL Top 20 weekly rankings 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.