SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Monday, Jan. 20, 2014
Lakers stay 7th in CJHL rankings; North Stars move to 11th
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The latest Canadian Junior Hockey League top 20 rankings announced Monday has the top two teams in the Superior International Junior Hockey League continuing to hold their own across the CJHL.
As the front-running club in the SIJHL standings, the Fort Frances Lakers stayed seventh overall while the surging second place Thunder Bay North Stars jumped one notch to 11th in the CJHL in the listings, which are compiled each week in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting.
Despite a pair of narrow setbacks vs. Thunder Bay last week, Fort Frances remains in top spot in the SIJHL with 62 points on a 30-6-0-2 overall record.
As for the North Stars they have narrowed the gap in the race for first place as they are now just seven points in arrears while also holding two games in hand boasting a 25-6-1-4 overall mark.
In terms of winning percentage Fort Frances is at .816 while Thunder Bay has a .764 win average.
The 22-9-2-4 Minnesota Iron Rangers sport a .676 winning percentage as they sit third in the SIJHL with 50 points after 37 games.
There was no change among the top three teams in the CJHL this week with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Spruce Grove Saints and Fort McMurray Oil Barons sitting first and second respectively while the red-hot Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, winners of 18 in succession under former North Stars’ bench boss Jordan Smith, remain third.
Rounding out the top five are the Selkirk Steelers of Manitoba, who have won 16 straight, have jumped to fourth overall and the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) have dipped to fifth.
The following are this week’s CJHL top 20 rankings along with the five clubs who earned honourable mention:
CJHL TOP 20
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK)
1. Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) (1)
2. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) (2)
3. Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) (3)
4. Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) (5)
5. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (4)
6. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (6)
7. Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) (7)
8. Powell River Kings (BCHL) (14)
9. Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL) (10)
10. Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) (8)
11. Thunder Bay North Stars (SIJHL) (12)
12. Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) (15)
13. Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (NOJHL) (13)
14. Melville Millionaires (SJHL) (11)
15. Aurora Tigers (OJHL) (16)
16. Brooks Bandits (AJHL) (HM)
17. Truro Bearcats (MHL) (HM)
18. Langley Rivermen (BCHL) (HM)
19. Saint-Jerome Panthers (LHJAAAQ) (20)
20. Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (OJHL) (19)
Honourable Mention: Battlefords North Stars (SJHL), Dauphin Kings (MJHL), Cobourg Cougars (OJHL), Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL), Weeks Crushers (MHL)
ABOUT THE CJHL TOP 20
The CJHL Top 20 weekly rankings are based upon a variety of factors, including the league in which the team plays, winning percentage, win-loss record, total points accumulated, goals-for versus goals-against ratio, etc.
ABOUT THE CJHL
The Canadian Junior Hockey League is a national organization comprised of all 10 Jr. A hockey leagues in Canada.
The CJHL represents 128 teams and over 2,500 players and has over 2,800 alumni furthering their hockey careers at the professional, major junior and college level across North America.
For the latest CJHL news and features, visit www.cjhlhockey.com as well as follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/cjhlhockey or @cjhlhockey.