OHL Power Rankings: Nov. 18, 2024
It’s another edition of OHL Power Rankings, hot off the printer! This week’s CHL Game of the Week is going to be a dandy, with London visiting Kitchener on Tuesday night.
Who’s up:
Kitchener Rangers – up one spot to #2 this week
The Rangers have won nine straight at home with their most recent conquest at the Aud coming over Peterborough on Friday. Jackson Parsons locked-down his second shutout of the season on Sunday in Sarnia, making 20 saves in a 5-0 win. Buckle up for Rangers/Knights in Kitchener on Tuesday. You can watch it for free on CHL TV as the CHL Game of the Week.
Oshawa Generals – up one spot to #7 this week
The Gennies took two of three last week, with their lone blemish coming in a 6-4 loss on the road in Barrie on Saturday. Calum Ritchie recorded his 200th career point on Sunday as the Generals inched closer to the top of the East Division, defeating Kingston 6-2.
Brantford Bulldogs – up one spot to #9 this week
The Bulldogs have been inconsistent this season to say the least, but did scoop five of a possible six points last week. They scored consecutive wins over Central Division opponents in Brampton and Niagara, courtesy back-to-back hat-tricks from Nick Lardis, who has 20 goals on the season and over 100 in his OHL career.
Soo Greyhounds – up one spot to #11 this week
The Greyhounds won two of three in a weekend three-in-three, taking a pair of overtime wins courtesy clutch goals from Brady Martin and Brodie McConnell-Barker. They saw a 2-0 lead after two periods evaporate at home to Flint on Saturday, dropping a 3-2 decision. The Hounds capped-off the week with a 2-1 win over high-powered Windsor, improving to 12-9 on the season.
Flint Firebirds – up two spots to #15 this week
The Birds are back after a week off the list. Flint dropped a 7-5 decision to Saginaw before consecutive wins over Sault Ste. Marie and Erie. Kaden Pitre and Blake Smith both had big weeks offensively, each collecting five points over three games while Matthew Wang scored three times in as many contests.
North Bay Battalion – up one spot to #16 this week
The Troops won a Sunday showdown with northern rival Sudbury, getting a late goal from Jacob LeBlanc to tie the game before Owen Van Steensel’s second of the afternoon was the winner in a 6-5 triumph. The Battalion and Wolves have been neck-and-neck this season and that’ll continue into this week as they jostle for the last spot on the power rankings.
Who’s down:
Windsor Spitfires – down one spot to #3 this week
The Spits were in the north last week, picking up three of a possible six points. They had a forgettable 9-3 drubbing at the hands of the Sudbury Wolves on Friday before dropping a 2-1 loss in overtime in the Soo on Sunday. The 14-5-2-0 Spitfires have tough assignments on Thursday and Friday, hosting Barrie before visiting Kitchener.
Niagara IceDogs – down one spot to #8 this week
The Dogs dropped a pair of decisions against Guelph and Brantford, and sit tied atop the Central Division with Barrie. Niagara and Brantford have been closely-matched thus far. The IceDogs were without suspended captain Kevin He in Sunday’s loss against the Bulldogs.
Kingston Frontenacs – down one spot to #10 this week
The Fronts ratlled-off wins against Ottawa and Owen Sound before hitting a wall in Oshawa on Sunday afternoon, losing 6-2 to the Generals. Kingston has performed well against teams in the lower half of the standings this year, but have been tested by some of the league’s more formidable clubs. Maleek McGowan had a nice week on the blueline, recording four points over three games.
Brampton Steelheads – down one spot to #12 this week
The Trout started the week with a 5-2 win over Barrie on Friday before losing 5-3 in Brantford on Saturday afternoon. The Steelheads are at the bottom of the Central Division with a 9-9-1-0 record. They’ll face a good test on the road in Erie Wednesday night.
Sudbury Wolves – down two spots and off the list this week
Full marks to the Wolves for a 9-3 thrashing of the Windsor Spitfires on Friday – one that featured a signature six-point showing from Quentin Musty. Sunday’s 6-5 overtime loss in North Bay was a thriller, and it certainly counts for something as the Troops leapfrog the Wolves on this week’s list. Now 10-7-3-0, the Wolves have a three-in-three on this week’s slate, hosting Guelph on Friday before visits to Niagara and Oshawa.
Owen Sound Attack – down one spot and off the list this week
The Bears beat Peterborough behind a pair of goals from rookie Pierce Mbuyi on Thursday before dropping road games in Kingston and Ottawa to close out the week. Carter George became the first Owen Sound netminder to score a goal on Thursday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, joining 10 other netminders in OHL history to do so.
