Thunderbirds sit 2nd, Gold Miners 5th in CJHL winning percentage

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Monday, Feb. 17, 2014

Thunderbirds sit 2nd, Gold Miners 5th in CJHL winning percentage

SUDBURY – Of the 128 teams across the country that comprise the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the two front runners in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League are ranked in the top five in terms of winning percentage.

The NOJHL-leading Soo Thunderbirds currently boast the second best win mark in the CJHL at an impressive .880 while the second place Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are not too far off as they are fifth nationally at .837.

Only the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) has a better overall winning percentage entering play this week as they are just slightly better than the T-Birds at .882. Carleton Place also boasts more triumphs than any CJHL side with 48.

Sault Ste. Marie, who just suffered their first loss in 26 games Sunday as they fell to Kirkland Lake, is just one of six CJHL clubs with 40 or more victories so far this season.

The Gold Miners are on the cusp of joining that elite group as they have won a franchise-record 39 times so far this season.

Both of these NOJHL squads are playing some of their best hockey of the season entering the stretch run to the playoffs with the Sault posting a 38-3-0-2 record since the end of September while Kirkland Lake has gone 17-2-0-2 in their last 21 outings.

These two red-hot clubs are poised to meet again Friday in another highly anticipated NOJHL game of the week as the T-Birds and Miners hit the ice for a 7:30 p.m. face-off at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex in Kirkland Lake.

Rounding out the top five in in the CJHL in terms of winning percentage is the Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) in third at .852 along with the Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) in fourth at .840.

The following are the top 20 winning percentage leaders in the CJHL:

CJHL 2013-14 Season Leaders: Winning Percentage (.700 or higher)        
(As of Feb. 17/14)              
RANK TEAM LEAGUE GP W L T/OT/SL PTS WIN%
1 Carleton Place Canadians CCHL 55 48 6 1 97 .882
2 Soo Thunderbirds NOJHL 50 43 5 2 88 .880
3 Selkirk Steelers MJHL 54 44 6 4 92 .852
4 Fort Frances Lakers SIJHL 50 40 6 4 84 .840
5 Kirkland Lake Gold Miners NOJHL 49 39 6 4 82 .837
6 St-Jerome Panthers LHJAAAQ 48 39 7 2 80 .833
7 Spruce Grove Saints AJHL 56 44 9 3 91 .813
8 Granby Inouk LHJAAAQ 46 36 8 2 74 .804
9 Fort McMurray Oil Barons AJHL 54 41 10 3 85 .787
10 Sherbrooke Cougars LHJAAAQ 47 33 8 6 72 .766
11 Thunder Bay North Stars SIJHL 48 34 9 5 73 .760
T-12 Aurora Tigers OJHL 51 37 11 3 77 .755
T-12 Kingston Voyageurs OJHL 51 37 11 3 77 .755
14 Miramichi Timberwolves MHL 44 31 9 4 66 .750
15 Truro Bearcats MHL 45 32 11 2 66 .733
16 Toronto Lakeshore Patriots OJHL 51 34 11 6 74 .725
17 Smiths Falls Bears CCHL 55 38 14 3 79 .718
18 Steinbach Pistons MJHL 53 37 14 2 76 .717
19 Weeks Crushers MHL 44 29 10 5 63 .716
20 Princeville Titan LHJAAAQ 47 30 11 6 66 .702