Major Junior Standings as of 2/1

Western Hockey League

Last week it was 5 teams within just a few points. This week, it's just 3 teams but the gap is just as close. The Saskatoon Blades are still on top, but the Medicine Hat Tigers are on their the trail as the Tigers leapfrog the Calgary Hitmen this past week to take the Central Division Lead. Leading the way for Medicine Hat is Linden Vey who scored 8 goals in January to add a goal scoring element to addidition to his play making abilities where he has had 42 assists this season. He currently has a 4 game goal scoring streak which includes a hat trick against the lowly Prince George Cougars back on 1/26.

He also has lit the lamp against Prince George again, also the Chilliwack Bruins and Kelowna Rockets during their recent B.C. Roadtrip. Despite goal scoring problems from their top 2 scores in Emerson Etem and Bretton Cameron who each have 30 plus goals this season, but players like Wacey Hamilton are making up for the slump as the Tigers look to overtake Saskatoon for the top spot in the East and hold off Calgary and Kootenay for the Central Division Lead.

The East Division Rivals Saskatoon and Brandon are seperated by just 1 point right now as the Blades have lost 4 of their last 6, while the Brandon Wheat Kings lead by an offensive attack of Matt Calvert, Scott Glennie and Toni Rajala who's in the top 10 in rookie scoring in the WHL.

We got 2 huge games that will be for the top of both the Central and East Divisions this week as Hitmen travel to Medicine Hat on Thursday night. On Saturday the Wheat Kings travel to Saskatoon to take on the Conference Leading Blades in which that could be for the East Division and Eastern Conference Leads coming up this weekend.

Red Deer may be the new Kootenay Ice as the Ice had a great Januray. For the Red Deer Rebels, winning 6 of their last 8 have helped the Rebels climb up to 6th and starting to get away from the puck that covers 7th through 9th which has the Moose Jaw Warriors (7th), Prince Albert Raiders (8th) and the Swift Current Broncos (9th) as the gap from 6th to 9th is at 5 points right now.

Leading the way for the Rebels is Andrej Kudrna and Willie Coetze who are tied for the team lead with 23 goals, however, no one for Red Deer has no more then 12 goals as the Rebels need these guys to provide the goals. If they go cold, so could the Rebels ability to keep in the playoff spots.

Regina may be in 10th place right now, but they are giving up to many points via the OT period right now as the Pats have played 3 OT Games where they are 2-1, but it's the conslation point that is costing the Pats and not allowing them to move up in the Conference Standings as the Pats pulled off a strong SO Win over Medicine Hat back on 1/9 and an imporant 6-5 win in the SO against Swift Current back on the 22nd.

Unfortunaly for the Pats, their goaltending I think will cost them a playoff spot as neither Damien Ketlo and Dawson Guhle have not been able to help the Pats chances as in 34 games played, Ketlo as just a 16-12-3 record but with a 3.34 GAA which he has giving up to many goals to help the Pats chances as Jordan Eberle and Jordan Weal who are #4 and #6 in the league scoring race.

Out west, the Tri-City Americans contuine to have a 11 point lead over the Vancouver Giants. However, a surging Everett Silvertips where the Tips have won a team record 14 in a row with their last win over the Kamloops Blazers and they have been winning in sorts of ways. Some of the players vital to the winning streak include going perfect in the month of January.

Prehaps the biggest key has been RW's Shane Harper and Kellan Tochkin who combined for 17 goals during the month of January. (11 for Harper, 6 for Tochkin), in addidition to Harper he has 6 game goal scoring streak which included a 2 goal performance against the Seattle Thunderbirds back on 1/17. Just after New Year's he also had a 3 game goal scoring streak against the Kamloops Blazers, Kelown Rockets and Seattle Thunderbirds to help jump start the winning streak.

With 4 of the top 5 teams in the Western Conference in the U.S. Division, every game between U.S. Divisions will be critcal to get a higher seed. For the top 3 teams, it will most likely playing the Kamloops Blazers, Chilliwack Bruins and Kelowna Rockets in the Conference Quarterfinals. For the 4-5 series, it should most likely be 3rd and 4th place teams in the U.S.A. Division to play each other.

Right now, it would be the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs. Portland has been won 4 of their last 5, the Silvertips taking them over and the Winterhawks I think will get on a late run to at least finish 3rd or 4th in the Conference while the Tri-City Americans and Everett Silvertips will eventually battle for the U.S. Division Title and could be for the top spot in the Western Conference.

With Seattle and Prince George pretty much out of the playoff running. For Chilliwack, Kelowna and Kamloops it's imporant to at least finish 6th to avoid the Division Leading Vancouver Giants and the Tri-City Americans who are up by a heavy margin. It's an imporant to at least give them a shot to pull off a 1st round upset or it could be an early exit for either the Rockets, Bruins and Blazers this season.

This Weeks Schedule in the WHL

2/1

Kootenay Ice VS. Regina Pats 7:00 PM

2/2

Red Deer Rebels VS. Regina Pats 7:00 PM

Lethbridge Hurricanes VS. Chilliwack Bruins 9:00 PM

2/3

Red Deer Rebels VS. Brandon Wheat Kings 7:00 PM

Kootenay Ice VS. Moose Jaw Warriors 7:00 PM

Saskatoon Blades VS. Prince Albert Raiders 7:00 PM

Calgary Hitmen VS. Swift Current Broncos 7:30 PM

Edmonton Oil Kings VS. Kelowna Rockets 9:00 PM

Kamloops Blazers VS. Portland Winterhawks 9:00 PM

Everett Silvertips VS. Spokane Chiefs 9:00 PM

Lethbridge Hurricanes VS. Vancouver Giants 9:00 PM

2/4

Calgary Hitmen VS. Medicine Hat Tigers 8:00 PM

2/5

Red Deer Rebels VS. Moose Jaw Warriors 7:00 PM

Swift Current Broncos VS. Prince Albert Raiders 7:00 PM

Saskatoon Blades VS. Regina Pats 7:00 PM

Kootenay Ice VS. Brandon Wheat Kings 7:30 PM

Lethbridge Hurricanes VS. Kelowna Rockets 9:00 PM

Edmonton Oil Kings VS. Prince George Cougars 9:00 PM

Kamloops Blazers VS. Spokane Chiefs 9:00 PM

Seattle Thunderbirds VS. Portland Winterhawks 9:30 PM

Everett Silvertips VS. Vancouver Giants 9:30 PM

2/6

Kootenay Ice VS. Regina Pats 7:00 PM

Brandon Wheat Kings VS. Saskatoon Blades 7:05 PM

Red Deer Rebels VS. Swift Current Broncos 7:30 PM

Medicine Hat Tigers VS. Calgary Hitmen 8:00 PM

Kelowna Rockets VS. Chilliwack Bruins 9:00 PM

Lethbridge Hurricanes VS. Kamloops Blazers 9:00 PM

Edmonton Oil Kings VS. Prince George Cougars 9:00 PM

Tri-City Americans VS. Vancouver Giants 9:00 PM

Spokane Chiefs VS. Everett Silvertips 9:05 PM

Portland Winterhawks VS. Seattle Thunderbirds 9:05 PM


Ontario Hockey League

With Windsor and Barrie running away with the Conference Leads, the top battle will be for the Midwest Division as the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers will battle for the Midwest Division.

The Knights have lost their last 2 against the Windsor Spitfires and a red hot Plymouth Whalers team who's won 7 in a row which included an impressive 6-1 win over the London Knights plus wins over Mississauga. And Windsor on back to back games and are starting to catch up to the Kitchener Rangers who are 5-5 and with the Whalers confedince and a with a home and home this weekend against the London Knights.

This could allow the Whalers to close the gap with a road game after a 6-1 win back on 1/30. It defently seeable to see the Whalers to atleast past the Knights, but apparoching the Knights who leads the Midwest Division will be another story.

Ottawa is currently leading the Central Division which is huge with just 59 points where the Central Division Champions will finish 2nd. Below them is the Peterborough Petes with 51 points would sit in the 4th and final home ice spot in the 1st round, the Kingston Fronteancs are just 1 point back in 5th place with Oshawa (6th), Sudbury (7th), and Brampton (8th) just seperated by a single point.

It is still possible for both Niagara and Belleville to come back, but time is starting to runout to allow them to make a move. The Icedogs need to make a move now with a 4 game homestand against London and Windsor, but their focus should be on the game against Oshawa to close in on the playoff spots. Then afterwards, games with the likes of Belleville, Brampton and Sudbury who are in the last couple of playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Belleville is going to have a much tougher route coming up with 2 games coming up against the Central Division Leading Ottawa, the Kitchener Rangers who are leading the Midwest Division and the Kingston Frontenacs who are fighting it out for home ice in the playoffs.

The bottom of the West is starting to show some major gaps as the Whalers are at least starting to pull away with the 4th spot. Sault St. Marie is in 5th place, 4 points above the Saginaw Spirit, Erie Otters and Owen Sound Attack looking to at least get away from the Guelph Storm have been struggling and are looking to bury their playoff hopes for this season.

This Weeks OHL Schedule

2/3: All Star Game from Kingston, Ontario

2/4

Erie Otters VS. Brampton Battalion 6:00 PM

Kingston Fronteancs VS. Peterborough Petes 6:00 PM

Owen Sound Attack VS. Windsor Spitfires 6:05 PM

Mississauga St. Micheal's Majors VS. Barrie Colts 6:30 PM

London Knights VS. Niagara Icedogs 6:30 PM

2/5

Windsor Spitfires VS. Erie Otters 6:00 PM

Guelph Storm VS. Kingston Frontenacs 6:30 PM

Oshawa Generals VS. Kitchener Rangers 6:30 PM

Plymouth Whalers VS. London Knights 6:30 PM

Saginaw Spirit VS. Mississauga St. Micheal's Majors 6:30 PM

Belleville Bulls VS. Ottawa 67s 6:30 PM

Owen Sound Attack VS. Sarnia Sting 6:30 PM

Sault St. Marie Greyhounds VS. Sudbury Wolves 6:30 PM

2/6

Saginaw Spirit VS. Erie Otters 6:00 PM

Brampton Battalion VS. London Knights 6:00 PM

Windsor Spitfires VS. Niagara Icedogs 6:00 PM

Oshawa Generals VS. Peterborough Petes 6:00 PM

Mississauga St. Micheal's Majors VS. Sudbury Wolves 6:00 PM

Guelph Storm VS. Belleville Bulls 6:05 PM

Owen Sound Attack VS. Plymouth Whalers 6:05 PM

Sault St. Marie Greyhounds VS. Barrie Colts 6:30 PM

2/7

Sault St. Marie Greyhounds VS. Brampton Battalion 1:00 PM

Saginaw Spirit VS. Kitchener Rangers 1:00 PM

Guelph Storm VS. Ottawa 67s 1:00 PM

Barrie Colts VS. Oshawa Generals 1:05 PM



Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

The major Junior Trade Deadline was very helpful to the Moncton Wildcats who are on a roll by winning 12 in a row. Their last lost was SO Loss against the St. John Seadogs back on New Years Eve. But even with the winning streak, the Wildcats are still 11 points back of Division & League Leading St. John.

The Seadogs had another strong weekend with them outscoring the Val-dor Fourues 17-3 in the 2 games, which included the biggest blow out in the league this season, an 11-0 win back on the 30th. It would have to take a big time colapse by the Sea Dogs for anyone to catch them for the regular season title and to earn home ice throughout the playoffs.

The West Division leading Rouyn-Nornda Huskies and East Division Leading Quebec City Ramparts have double digit leads right now. While the Central will have the best race the Drummondville Voltigeurs took a slim lead where after a loss to Moncton.

The Voltigeurs had easy wins over the Lewiston Maineaics and Chicoutimi Sagueneens who are starting to fall off the pace, currently the Sagueneens have lost 4 of 6 on a brtual road trip which saw them lose 5-1 to the Halifax Mooseheads and a 8-0 beating from Victoriaville.

If the Sagueneens don't turn it around, they could find themselves in a position where they could miss out of the playoffs, in the QMJHL only the bottom 2 teams miss out and that would be pretty bad to lose out and allow teams like Lewiston and Baie-Comeau passing them.

This Weeks QMJHL Schedule

2/2

Lewiston Maineiacs VS. Shawinigan Cataractes 6:00 PM

Rouyn-Nornda Huskies VS. Moncton Wildcats 5:00 PM

2/3

Montreal De Junior VS. Quebec City Ramparts 6:00 PM

Moncton Wildcats VS. P.E.I. Rockets 5:00 PM

Rimouski Oceanic VS. Val-dor Fourures 6:30 PM

2/4

Quebec City Ramparts VS. Victoriaville Tigers 6:00 PM

Gatineau Olympiques VS. Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6:30 PM

2/5

St. John Seadogs VS. Halifax Mooseheads 5:00 PM

Shawinigan Cataractes VS. Lewiston Maineiacs 6:00 PM

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles VS. P.E.I. Rockets 5:00 PM

Drummondville Voltigeurs VS. Victoriaville Tigers 6:00 PM

Acadie-Bathurst Titans VS. Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6:30 PM

Gatineau Olympiques VS. Chicoutimi Sagueneens 6:30 PM

Rimouski Oceanic VS. Val-dor Foures 6:30 PM

2/6

Acadie-Bathurst Titans VS. Chicoutimi Sagueneens 3:00 PM

Montreal De Junior VS. Drummondville Voltigeurs 6:00 PM

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles VS. Halifax Mooseheads 5:00 PM

Shawinigan Cataractes VS. Lewiston Maineiacs 6:00 PM

St. John Seadogs VS. Moncton Wildcats 5:00 PM

Gatineau Olympiques VS. Quebec City Ramparts 6:00 PM

Rimouski Oceanic VS. Rouyn-Nornda Huskies 6:30 PM

2/7

Rimouski Oceanic VS. Rouyn-Nornda Huskies 3:00 PM




Western Hockey League Standings

Eastern Conference

1. Saskatoon 51 GP 34-11-6 74 PTS 181-151 21 GR

2. Medicine Hat 56 GP 32-16-8 72 PTS 229-181 16 GR

3. Brandon 54 GP 35-16-3 73 PTS 231-164 18 GR

4. Calgary 51 GP 33-16-2 68 PTS 177-147 21 GR

5. Kootenay 52 GP 32-16-4 68 PTS 193-159 20 GR

6. Red Deer 51 GP 28-19-4 60 PTS 150-152 21 GR

7. Moose Jaw 51 GP 26-18-7 59 PTS 186-167 21 GR

8. Prince Albert 54 GP 27-23-4 58 PTS 189-182 18 GR

9. Swift Current 53 GP 26-24-3 55 PTS 177-187 19 GR

10. Regina 52 GP 23-25-4 50 PTS 184-197 20 GR

11. Lethbridge 51 GP 16-30-5 37 PTS 133-190 21 GR

12. Edmonton 54 GP 11-32-11 33 PTS 119-212 18 GR


Western Conference

1. Tri-City 52 GP 37-13-2 76 PTS 204-130 20 GR

2. Vancouver 54 GP 31-20-3 65 PTS 196-162 18 GR

3. Everett 52 GP 33-16-3 69 PTS 165-139 20 GR

4. Portland 54 GP 32-20-2 66 PTS 204-185 18 GR

5. Spokane 52 GP 29-19-4 62 PTS 163-135 20 GR

6. Kelowna 54 GP 25-25-4 54 PTS 173-178 18 GR

7. Kamloops 54 GP 24-24-6 54 PTS 183-214 18 GR

8. Chilliwack 54 GP 23-25-6 52 PTS 159-182 18 GR

9. Seattle 52 GP 14-29-9 37 PTS 122-178 20 GR

10. Prince George 52 GP 9-40-3 21 PTS 121-240 20 GR


Division Leaders

Playoff Spots

Out of Playoffs


Ontario Hockey League

Eastern Conference

1. Barrie 49 GP 41-7-1 83 PTS 231-129 19 GR

2. Ottawa 51 GP 26-18-7 59 PTS 178-157 17 GR

3. Mississauga 50 GP 33-12-5 71 PTS 171-122 18 GR

4. Peterborough 52 GP 24-25-3 51 PTS 168-203 16 GR

5. Kingston 51 GP 23-24-4 50 PTS 166-192 17 GR

6. Oshawa 50 GP 21-24-5 47 PTS 161-199 18 GR

7. Sudbury 51 GP 21-25-5 47 PTS 152-196 17 GR

8. Brampton 50 GP 17-21-12 46 PTS 119-137 18 GR

9. Niagara 51 GP 17-28-6 40 PTS 143-188 17 GR

10. Belleville 51 GP 16-28-7 39 PTS 133-188 17 GR


Western Conference

1. Windsor 52 GP 40-7-5 85 PTS 255-147 16 GR

2. London 50 GP 35-13-2 72 PTS 206-157 18 GR

3. Kitchener 51 GP 32-15-4 68 PTS 210-164 17 GR

4. Plymouth 52 GP 31-20-1 63 PTS 185-148 16 GR

5. Sault St. Marie 51 GP 26-20-5 57 PTS 178-159 17 GR

6. Saginaw 50 GP 24-21-5 53 PTS 180-180 18 GR

7. Erie 51 GP 23-21-7 53 PTS 182-205 17 GR

8. Owen Sound 52 GP 23-23-6 52 PTS 172-203 16 GR

9. Guelph 49 GP 21-24-4 46 PTS 168-194 19 GR

10. Sarnia 52 GP 14-35-3 31 PTS 131-221 16 GR


Division Leaders

Playoff Spots

Out of Playoffs


Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

West Division

1. Rouyn-Nornda 53 GP 30-19-4 64 PTS 195-171 15 GR

2. Gatineau 50 GP 24-21-5 53 PTS 177-160 18 GR

3. Montreal 50 GP 24-21-5 53 PTS 159-153 18 GR

4. Val-dor 52 GP 18-28-6 42 PTS 169-228 16 GR


Central Division

1. Drummondville 51 GP 35-14-2 72 PTS 218-153 17 GR

2. Victoriaville 53 GP 34-17-2 70 PTS 218-158 15 GR

3. Shawinigan 52 GP 25-20-7 57 PTS 176-189 16 GR

4. Lewiston 51 GP 18-30-3 39 PTS 152-206 17 GR


East Division

1. Quebec City 52 GP 31-14-7 69 PTS 213-181 16 GR

2. Rimouski 51 GP 25-20-6 56 PTS 187-199 17 GR

3. Chicoutimi 51 GP 19-24-8 46 PTS 147-200 17 GR

4. Baie-Comeau 51 GP 16-31-4 36 PTS 143-226 17 GR


Atlantic Division

1. St. John 51 GP 42-8-1 85 PTS 239-134 17 GR

2. Moncton 50 GP 35-11-4 74 PTS 204-121 18 GR

3. Cape Breton 53 GP 30-18-5 65 PTS 181-151 15 GR

4. P.E.I. 53 GP 29-18-6 64 PTS 176-172 15 GR

5. Acadie-Bathurst 54 GP 19-30-5 43 PTS 167-238 14 GR

6. Halifax 52 GP 11-37-4 26 PTS 128-210 16 GR


Division Leaders

Playoff Spots

Out of Playoffs