CHL Top 10 Rankings

The Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League are the top team in this week’s Canadian Hockey League Bank of Montreal/MasterCard Top Ten Rankings. The weekly rankings are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

The Rebels have won eight of their past ten starts to move into the number one spot for the first time this season. Red Deer, who finished as the top ranked team at the end of both the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons, posted a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos on Friday and defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-1 on Saturday. This week the Rebels are on a three game road swing through British Columbia starting in Kelowna against the number 9 ranked Rockets on Tuesday. On Wednesday Red Deer visits the Kamloops Blazers and on Friday they are in Prince George to take on the Cougars.

The Sarnia Sting are ranked number two in this week’s CHL Bank of Montreal/MasterCard Top Ten Rankings. The Sting, who hold down first place in the Ontario Hockey League’s West Division, have a won-lost-tied-overtime loss record of 11-3-2-1. Last week Sarnia split a pair of home games and they have two games in play this week. On Friday the Peterborough Petes will be the visitors and on Saturday the Sting with visit the Plymouth Whalers.

The Val-d’Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League are the number three team in this week’s CHL Bank of Montreal/MasterCard Top Ten. The Foreurs recorded a win, a loss and a tie in three games in the Maritimes last week. Val-d’Or will host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Friday and the Halifax Mooseheads are the visitors on Saturday.

The Toronto St. Michaels Majors and the Belleville Bulls make their first appearances of the season in the CHL Bank of Montreal/MasterCard Top Ten Rankings. The Majors have won eight of their last ten starts and enter the rankings in the number eight spot. The Bulls, who have won five in a row, are ranked tenth this week.