London Gains in the Rankings
The Canadian Hockey League today announced the BMO Bank of Montreal CHLrTop 10 Rankings for the week ending Sunday January 4. The weeklyrrankings of the Canadian Hockey League’s top 10 teams are selected by arpanel of National Hockey League scouts.r
rAfter a 13 week run at the top of the standings, the Gatineau Olympiquesr(29-8-5-0) dropped to third on the list after a 2-2 tie with therDrummondville Voltiguers on December 29 and a 3-2 win over the RimouskirOceanic on January 4. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (31-9-0-1), theronly other team in the CHL to make the top 10 rankings every week thisrseason, jumped up to the top spot. They picked up wins against therAcadie-Bathurst Titan, Moncton Wildcats and Halifax Mooseheads lat week,rallowing a total of two goals in three games.r
rThe Kelowna Rockets (30-10-3-0) held on to second in the rankings thisrweek after wins over the Kamloops Blazers and a sweep of a home-and-homerset against the Vancouver Giants. The Rockets, who will host the 2004rMasterCard Memorial Cup in May, lead the Western Hockey League with 63rpoints in 43 games. The Swift Current Broncos (25-13-5-0) jumped torsixth in the rankings after picking up wins over the Saskatoon Bladesrand Medicine Hat Tigers and a tie against the Red Deer Rebels.r
rThe London Knights (28-7-1-2) earned a pair of wins against the SarniarSting and finished the week with a 7-1 win over the Kitchener Rangers,rthe defending Memorial Cup champions. They are led offensively by CoreyrPerry, who is tied for the OHL scoring lead with 24 goals and 67 pointsrin 36 games. The Mississauga IceDogs (22-9-6-1) returned to the top 10rafter posting a 2-1-1-0 record last week. They lead the OHL’s EasternrConference with 51 points in 38 games.rr
rrBank of Montreal CHL Top 10r
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| Rank | Team | Last Week | Weeks in Rankings | r
| 1. | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (31-9-0-1) | 3 | 13 | r
| 2. | Kelowna Rockets (30-10-3-0) | 2 | 5 | r
| 3. | Gatineau Olympiques (29-8-5-0) | 1 | 13 | r
| 4. | London Knights (28-7-1-2) | 5 | 11 | r
| 5. | Guelph Storm (25-8-5-0) | 4 | 9 | r
| 6. | Swift Current Broncos (25-13-5-0) | 9 | 7 | r
| 7. | Moncton Wildcats (26-12-2-1) | 7 | 4 | r
| 8. | Prince Albert Raiders (24-12-4-3) | 6 | 5 | r
| 9. | PEI Rocket (24-13-3-4) | 8 | 8 | r
| 10. | Mississauga IceDogs (22-9-6-1) | NR | 2 | r
