Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings: Oil Kings continue to challenge ICE for top spot
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 14
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Edmonton Oil Kings
3. Everett Silvertips
4. Charlottetown Islanders
5. Portland Winterhawks
6. Mississauga Steelheads
7. Quebec Remparts
8. Kamloops Blazers
9. Kingston Frontenacs
10. Sherbrooke Phoenix
HM. Kelowna Rockets
HM. Hamilton Bulldogs
HM. Soo Greyhounds
Holding steady atop the WHL’s Eastern Conference, the Winnipeg ICE have surrendered only six regulation losses through 38 appearances this season. Facing streaking Moose Jaw on Friday, the ICE came away with a point following a hard-battled shootout decision in which the club continued to draw offense from its tantalizing collection of scoring options including veteran left-wing Mikey Milne who netted his 24th tally on the year, goal production outpaced by just six players league wide. Winnipeg next takes to the ice February 10 when it opens a three-game homestand.
Piecing together a pair of weekend victories in which they outscored the opposition by a combined 13 goals, the Edmonton Oil Kings are seeing dominant performances throughout their lineup, beginning up front where budding centre and Arizona Coyotes 2021 first-round pick Dylan Guenther has recorded at least one point in each of his past eight appearances, a stretch in which he has collected nine goals and nine assists. Meanwhile, the weekend also saw hulking netminder and Detroit Red Wings first rounder Sebastian Cossa come away with back-to-back shutouts, giving him four perfect games on the season.
Clocking in at No. 3 for the second week running, the Everett Silvertips have clawed to top spot out west, earning a 30-7-2-2 record and 64 points through 41 games. Winners of five straight, the Silvertips found the win column three times in a busy weekend that was underscored by a 4-2 home win over rival Seattle in which co-captain and veteran right-wing Jackson Berezkowski lit the lamp for the fifth time in his past four outings. On the season, Berezkowski now stands at 29 goals, second to only Red Deer’s Ben King.
The hottest team in the circuit, the fifth-ranked Portland Winterhawks continue to climb the ranks having gone undefeated in regulation in their past 14 outings. Piecing together a perfect weekend of three-straight wins, that stretch included a 6-5 shootout thriller versus Seattle in which the club rallied for a trio of goals in the final frame that included the late equalizer off the stick of 2002-born right-wing and Detroit Red Wings up-and-comer Cross Hanas with just over a minute remaining in regulation.
Rounding out recognition from the WHL, the red hot Kamloops Blazers continue to find the right side of the scoreboard, coming out on top in their last six outings. Downing Vancouver in a 5-2 road win Sunday, among the offensive contributors for Kamloops was captain Logan Stankoven, a 2021 second-round selection of the Dallas Stars who put up a one-goal, three-assist showing to extend his point streak to 10 games. Tune in Friday at 7:30 p.m. Pacific on TSN as the Blazers look to push their win streak to seven when they reconnect with the Giants.
Lastly, earning honourable mention from the WHL, the Kelowna Rockets are beginning to draw national attention having won six straight, a stretch in which 2002-born right-wing Jake Poole has been leading the club offensively with five goals and six assists.
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Headlining the QMJHL, the fourth-ranked Charlottetown Islanders are set to return to the ice Friday when they will begin a three-game road swing in Baie-Comeau. Standing tops league wide with a 22-7-2-0 showing and 46 points, the Islanders bring a well-rounded offensive attack that features four forwards who have eclipsed 35 points or better, while Vegas Golden Knights draftee and reigning QMJHL Defenceman of the Year Lukas Cormier brings it from the back end with 36 points in 26 games.
Coming in at No. 7, the Quebec Remparts sit just four points shy of the league-leading Islanders, while also holding a game in hand. Winners of six straight prior to the pause, the Remparts will look to keep up their impressive play when they retake the ice Friday in Drummondville. Solid in their own zone, among the keys to success this season for the Remparts comes in the blue paint where 2003-born netminder William Rousseau tops the charts with a .919 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average across 13 outings.
Rounding out recognition from the QMJHL, the Sherbrooke Phoenix slot in 10th. Sitting atop the QMJHL’s Central Division with a 19-7-2-1 record and 41 points, the Phoenix are set to return to play Friday in Val-d’Or. One of two NHL drafted players on the Phoenix, the squad is led by 2003-born left-wing Joshua Roy, an up-and-comer of the Montreal Canadiens who through 27 games this season has dazzled with 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points, production that puts him tied for second in the QMJHL scoring race.
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Topping the charts in the OHL, the sixth-placed Mississauga Steelheads are undefeated in their last four outings, including a pair of victories over North Bay, the latter of which saw veteran netminder Joe Ranger turn aside all 27 shots to notch his third shutout on the season, the most in the OHL. Additionally, Ranger leads the way in the goals-against average (1.97) and save percentage (.928) columns, while the Steelheads are also solid up front led by 2022 NHL Draft prospect Luca Del Bel Belluz whose 51 points rank ninth-best league wide.
Coming in at No. 9, the Kingston Frontenacs peeled off five-straight victories before coming up short Sunday versus Hamilton. Heading to Barrie on Thursday, the Frontenacs will be out to retake the win column led by 2022 NHL Draft headliner Shane Wright who over his past seven outings has flashed his offensive upside that makes the scouting community salivate, to the tune of four goals and nine assists for 13 points. On the season, Wright has now collected 43 points counting 15 goals and 28 assists in 31 games.
In the honourable mention category, the Hamilton Bulldogs continue to challenge the Frontenacs for top spot in the OHL’s East Division after coming away with the victory in their last three outings highlighted by Sunday’s 5-2 win over Kingston in which Seattle Kraken draftee Ryan Winterton stole the show with a three-point performance. Elsewhere, the Soo Greyhounds continue to make noise atop the OHL’s Western Conference, having gone undefeated in regulation in their past seven contests to improve to 23-12-3-1 and 50 points on the season. Among the top performers for the Greyhounds in 2021-22 has been OHL leading scorer Rory Kerins, a 2020 sixth-round selection of the Calgary Flames who has collected 67 points in only 39 games.