Monday 1 January 2018

OHL Week 14 Power Rankings

2017 is over and in the books. The Greyhounds have won 23 in a row but they have finally gotten a few close calls. The Bulldogs are tops in the East but Barrie is working on a worst to first run and now Kingston has thrown their hat in the ring to create a 3 way battle for first in the conference. Sarnia is slumping but Kitchener and London continue to play strong. It will be interesting to see where things stand when the dust of the trade deadline settles. It should be an exciting 2nd half.


Divisional Quick Hits

The Bulldogs continue to bolster their lineup by adding Riley Stillman from Oshawa. Id expect another move on the blueline as they have 8 back thee who deserve regular ice time.... Kingston has joined the arms race and become the first team to move an '01 draft selection.... 4 wins in a row for Osahwa shows you how good this team can be with a healthy Keyser..... Jeremy Helvig set the Kingston career record with his 9th career shutout this week

Recent OA pickup Aaron Luchuk has signed an NHL contract with the Ottawa Senators.... Christian Propp is healthy and has had a great Month for North Bay with 5 of his 6 starts finishing wth a save percentage greater than .900

Alan Lyszczarczyk was named top forward at the Group B Division 1 WJC while playing for Poland.... Evan Bouchard has moved into top spot in defenceman scoring. Ending the year on a 6 game point streak with 3 goals and 7 assists in that span.

With 47 wins in only 59 games Mathew Vilalta may be on his way to becoming the quickest goalie on OHL history to 50 career wins. I reached out to the OHL and this isn't a stat they keep but they cant think of anyone who has done it quicker. The quickest I could find was Steve Mason who picked up win 50 in his 74th game.... The Firebirds picked up another commitment  as Eric Uba their 9th round pick in 2016 signed on with the team.... The Spits continue to restock their draft cupboard making a deal with Kingston the most valuable piece coming back though is Cody Morgan who should team nicely with Staios and McDougal in their young core....

 


(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 32-3-2 Power Rank Percentage (PR%) .8754
3 more wins for the Greyhounds brings their streak up to 23 games. Saginaw, Flint and Guelph were the victims this week and there were finally a few close calls. A Barrett Hayton goal with 15 seconds left was the winner vs Flint on Friday and they needed a shootout for the first time this year Saturday against Guelph.
Games This Week: Jan 4 @ Miss; Jan 5 @ Osh; Jan 7 @ Gue

(2) Hamilton Bulldogs 23-8-6 PR% .7334
The Bulldogs pushed their winning streak to 8 games before dropping Sundays game in Niagara 7-3. The Bulldogs scored 18 goals this week taking advantage of a weak Mississauga team and  short handed Kingston team. Allowing 14 goals however is a bit troubling.
Games This Week Jan 3 vs Ptb; Jan 5 vs NB; Jan 7 vs Sby

(3) Barrie Colts 23-10-3 PR% .7209
A 3 for 3 week for the Colts as they were able to get by Sudbury before sweeping home and home with the struggling Owen Sound Attack. The competition wasn't the greatest but they were great results for the Colts with Svechnikov away at the WJC. The Colts are now just 3 points behind Hamilton with a game in hand.
Games This Week: Jan 2 @ Kit; Jan 4 vs Ldn; Jan 6 vs Kgn

(4) Kitchener Rangers 23-11-2 PR% .7180
Another pair of wins for the Rangers who have only lost 2 games since their disastrous Northern Ontario swing. It is another 4 game week this week for the Rangers who were able to skate away with a 4-0 record the last time they had this busy of a week.
Games This Week: Jan 1 @ Pbo; Jan 2 vs Bar; Jan 5 vs Miss; Jan 6 @ OS

(5) London Knights 19-14-3 PR% .6743
London comes in at number 5 which is their highest spot in the rankings all season. A tough shootout lose to Flint to start the week but they rebounded with a big win against Sarnia to start their New Years home  and home.
Games This Week: Jan 1 vs Sar; Jan 4 @ Ldn; Jan 5 @ Sby; Jan 7 vs NB
 

(6)Niagara Icedogs 19-11-5 PR% .6630
A huge win to end the year with a thumping over East favourites Hamilton. They also picked up a couple of wins over Northern rivals Sudbury and North Bay. Home Ice in the first round seems like a forgone conclusion now but with Barrie, Hamilton and Kingston all buying will they be able to do any better than 4th?
Games This Week: Jan 5 vs Wsr; Jan 6 @ Bar; Jan 7 @ Nia
(7) Saginaw Spirit 19-13-3 PR% .6392
The Spirit opened the week with a loss to the Greyhound but everyone seems to be losing to them. The rebounded with wins over Flint and Windsor. With the Spits selling off it should mean 1 less team in Saginaw's way as they try to claim home ice in the 1st round.
Games This Week: Jan 3 @ Sar; Jan 5 vs Eri; Jan 6 vs Sar

(8) Windsor Spitfires 19-13-3 PR% .6189
Windsor opened the week with a shutout of Sarnia before dropping games to Mississauga and Saginaw. With the fire sale starting it looks like this may be the final week they spend in the top 10.
Games This Week: Jan 4 @ Pbo; Jan 5 @ Kgn; Jan 7 @ Ott

(9) Sarnia Sting 25-10-2 PR% .6107
No Kyrou and no Ruzicka led to some offensive struggles for the Sting. After a 5-0 loss to Windsor they followed it up with a 4-2 defeat at the hands of London. This team should make a few moves this week but what happens if Kyrou goes to the Olympics?
Games This Week: Jan 1 @ Ldn; Jan 3 vs Sag; Jan 5 vs Fli; Jan 6 @ Sag

(10) Oshawa Generals 17-17-2 PR% .5730
The Generals moved their win streak to 4 games as the are starting to show how good they can be when healthy. I expect this team to continue to get better after they move a few players to free up the depth chart and have more defined roles and ice time for their players. Don't forget Bob Jones should be returning soon.
Games This Week: Jan 1 vs NB; Jan 4 @ NB; Jan 5 vs SSM; Jan 7 vs OS

(11) Guelph Storm 18-14-4 PR% .5727
The Storm became the first team this year to take the Hounds to a shootout and came the closest out of any team so far to breaking their win streak. Unfortunately they followed that up with a loss to Sudbury. The were however able to open the week with a win over the Petes. Their next 6 games include 4 East opponents the struggling Attack and the Hounds. They shoud have a chance to pick up some wins.
Games This Week: Jan 4 @ Nia; Jan 5 vs OS; Jan 7 vs SSM

(12) Kingston Frontenacs 18-12-6 PR%.5655
The Fronts played the week shorthanded. They were able to beat Ottawa 2-0 before dropping a game to Hamilton followed by a shocking loss to the Otters. Reinforcements are on the way however as the Fronts gear up for a 3 team race in the East.
Games This Week: Jan 5 vs Wsr; Jan 6 @ Bar; Jan 7 @ Nia

(13) North Bay Battalion 13-18-5 PR%.5640
3 points in 4 games for the Battalion including a big win over Mississauga which gives them more breathing room on the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.
Games This Week: Jan 1 @ Osh; Jan 4 vs Osh; Jan 5 @ Ham; Jan 7 vs Ldn

(14) Sudbury Wolves 11-21-5  PR% .4788
The Wolves ended the week with a win over Guelph which helped end a 4 game losing streak. With London, Niagara and Hamilton on the docket this week it looks like another losing streak maybe on the horizon.
Games This Week: Jan 5 vs Ldn; Jan 6 @ Nia; Jan 7 @ Ham

(15) Owen Sound Attack 14-15-6 PR% .4644
The Attack gave up 12 goals in 3 games this week as Lafreniere seems  not be the answer to their problems. Are they creeping closer to being sellers at the deadline? One would think so.
Games This Week: Jan 5 @ Gue; Jan 6 vs Kit; Jan 7 @ Osh

(16) Erie Otters 12-19-6 PR% .4367
The Otters ended the year with a big home win against Kingston after suffering close losses to Oshawa and Kitchener. Picking up the win in net however for Erie was Daniel Murphy the last player selected in the 2016 OHL draft
Games This Week: Jan 3 vs Miss; Jan 5 @ Sag; Jan 6 @ Fli

(17) Mississauga Steelheads 14-22-1 PR% .4338
Outscored this week 16-7 in games against Hamilton and North Bay they were somehow able to get by Windsor 3-2 between those two losses. Time is running out for the Steelheads this year but you have to wonder about James Richmond's future. This is 2 straight years of disappointing regular season results.
Games This Week: Jan 3 @ Eri; Jan 4 vs SSM; Jan 5 @ Kit

(18) Peterborough Petes 16-18-2 PR% .4312
The Petes with a big comeback win over the slumping 67's. They will need to start playing better against better teams but it is nice to see the team still has some fight in them.
Games This Week: Jan 1 vs Kit; Jan 3 @ Ham; Jan 4 vs Wsr; Jan 6 @ Ott

(19) Ottawa 67s 15-19- 3 PR% .4166
A December to forget for the 67's as they finish 2-7-1 on the month. Both of their losses were by 1 goal as it looks like some of their luck in close games from early in the season has started to go the other way. Still a lot to like on this roster but something better than the 7th or 8th seed will be needed to deem this season a success.
Games This Week: Jan 6 vs Pbo; Jan 7 vs Wsr

(20) Flint Firebirds 11-22-3 PR% .4127
The Firebirds picked up a shootout win over London before making the Hounds sweat and then getting rocked by Saginaw. This Firebirds team is playing some good hockey right now although they are being weighted down in the rankings by their ugly stretch earlier in the year.
Games This Week: Jan 5 @ Sar; Jan 6 vs Eri

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