NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE
For Immediate Release: Monday, Jan. 20, 2014
Status quo for Thunderbirds and Gold Miners in CJHL rankings
SUDBURY – The latest edition of the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s top 20 rankings released Monday has the top two clubs in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League standings maintaining their place among the nation’s elite.
The red-hot Soo Thunderbirds, victorious in a franchise-record 18 consecutive games, held on to the No. 3 spot in the CJHL again this week while the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners stayed at No. 13 overall in the listings, which are compiled in conjunction with NHL Central Scouting.
Surging Sault Ste. Marie continues to hold down top spot in the NOJHL with 74 points on a 36-4-0-2 record.
Sitting 11 points in arrears with 63, but also holding three games in hand, the second seeded Gold Miners are 30-6-0-3.
Both clubs also boast impressive winning percentages with the Thunderbirds at .881 while Kirkland Lake is at .808.
The top two sides in the CJHL also remain the same this week as the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Spruce Grove Saints and Fort McMurray Oil Barons stay at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively.
Another squad on a roll, in the Selkirk Steelers of Manitoba, have moved to fourth in the CJHL as they are currently riding a 16-game winning streak.
Rounding out the top five are the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League.
The following are this week’s CJHL top 20 rankings along with the five honourable mention squads:
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.
