NOJHL’s Voodoos up to 7th in CJHL Rankings; Crunch earn Honourable Mention

CALGARY, Alta. (Monday, February 26, 2018) – The Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) stay No. 1 in the latest Canadian Junior Hockey League Top 20 rankings as do the No. 2 is the Okotoks Oilers (AJHL); No. 3 Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) and the No. 4 Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) while the Ottawa Jr. A Senators (CCHL) move to No. 5.

MHL: The Edmundston Blizzard (No. 19) remain two points up on Honourable Mention Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners with a game in hand in the MHL’s race for first.

LHJAAAQ: No. 10 Cobras de Terrebonne are four points clear of No. 15 College Français de Longueuil in the LHJAAAQ standings and have an extra game to play.

CCHL: Winners of 14 straight, including a 2-1 OT victory over the No. 5 and Fred Page Cup-host Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators Sunday, No. 1 Carleton Place is the only CJHL side with over 50 victories and 100-plus points.

OJHL: Jumping to No. 6 nationally, the Toronto Patriots are joined by fellow OJHL clubs, the No. 18 North York Rangers and No. 20 Oakville Blades in the rankings while the Georgetown Raiders and Aurora Tigers picked up Honourable Mention laurels this week.

NOJHL: The Powassan Voodoos have moved up to No. 7 overall in the CJHL while the Cochrane Crunch earned themselves an Honourable Mention nod.

SIJHL: The Dudley-Hewitt Cup host Dryden GM Ice Dogs (No. 9) have moved into first place in the SIJHL standings ahead of the Thief River Falls Norskies, who were tabbed 17th.

MJHL: Still No. 3 in the country, the Steinbach Pistons have already claimed the MJHL’s 2017-18 regular season title and boast 45-plus wins for a third year in a row.

SJHL: The Nipawin Hawks hold at No. 4 in the CJHL and are joined in the rankings by the No. 13 Battlefords North Stars and the No. 14 Melfort Mustangs.

AJHL: The red-hot Okotoks Oilers have won 21 in succession while staying at No. 2 in the CJHL. The Spruce Grove Saints were tabbed 8th, the Brooks Bandits 11th and the Fort McMurray Oil Barons 16th.

BCHL: Continuing to impress, the defending BCHL champion Penticton Vees have secured their league’s regular season title while also moving up to No. 12 in the CJHL this week. Meanwhile another perennial BCHL power, the Vernon Vipers, picked up Honourable Mention status heading into the postseason.

CJHL 2017-18 TOP 20 (As of Feb. 26/18)
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST RANKING)
1. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (1)
2. Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) (2)
3. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (3)
4. Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) (4)
5. Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators (CCHL) (6)
6. Toronto Patriots (OJHL) (8)
7. Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) (10)
8. Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) (5)
9. Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) (15)
10. Les Cobras de Terrebonne (LHJAAAQ) (11)
11. Brooks Bandits (AJHL) (12)
12. Penticton Vees (BCHL) (16)
13. Battlefords North Stars (SJHL) (9)
14. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) (17)
15. College Français de Longueuil (LHJAAAQ) (14)
16. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) (13)
17. Thief River Falls Norskies (SIJHL) (7)
18. North York Rangers (OJHL) (20)
19. Edmundston Blizzard (MHL) (19)
20. Oakville Blades (OJHL) (NR)

HONOURABLE MENTION: Vernon Vipers (BCHL); Cochrane Crunch (NOJHL); Aurora Tigers (OJHL); Georgetown Raiders (OJHL); Yarmouth Jr. ‘A’ Mariners (MHL)