The Saskatoon Blades get to accumulate two more games of video pre-scouting of the ICE before hosting Winnipeg this weekend.
Once again, the C-H-L’s top-ranked team is the ICE and they are home to Lethbridge Tuesday night and Wednesday before arriving at SaskTel Centre for contests Friday and Saturday against the now seventh-rated Bridge City Bunch. Winnipeg is 20-1-0 going into the week, which includes a 15-game winning streak. Saskatoon is nothing to be sneezed at as they’ve won four straight games and jumped up two spots in the national rankings from last week. With 15 wins from their first 19 games, that matches the most victories through that number of contests in franchise history that were put up by the 1981-82 edition of the Blades. Following is the news release from the C-H-L…..
The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 8 edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 8
1. Winnipeg ICE (20-1-0-0)
2. Quebec Remparts (19-2-0-1)
3. Ottawa 67’s (18-2-0-0)
4. Portland Winterhawks (16-1-1-1)
5. Seattle Thunderbirds (13-3-1-0)
6. Sherbrooke Phoenix (16-4-1-1)
7. Saskatoon Blades (15-4-0-0)
8. Red Deer Rebels (16-4-0-2)
9. North Bay Battalion (14-6-0-0)
10. Windsor Spitfires (12-4-3-0)
HM. Saginaw Spirit (14-6-1-0)
HM. Gatineau Olympiques (14-7-2-0)
HM. Halifax Mooseheads (13-5-2-1)
Taking top honours for the second week running, the Winnipeg ICE closed out the week with back-to-back victories over Regina to push their win streak to 15 straight. In all, the two wins saw the ICE combine for 14 goals underscored by Thursday’s 9-5 decision in which the club capitalized five times in the final frame en route to the victory. Leading the way was Buffalo Sabres 2022 first-round selection Matthew Savoie with a hat-trick plus three assists.
Continuing to lead the way from the QMJHL, the Quebec Remparts were winners of two of three on the week as the club downed Rimouski and split a home-and-home set with nationally ranked Sherbrooke. Against the Oceanic, the Remparts prevailed with a 5-0 road victory in which fellow forwards James Malatesta (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Nathan Gaucher (Anaheim Ducks) each netted a pair, while between the pipes rookie netminder Quentin Miller turned aside 38 shots to record his first career shutout.
At third in the national rankings, the Ottawa 67’s continue to find the win column, closing out the week with three more victories. The 67’s began the week the right way, coming away with a 7-1 takedown of Kingston that saw six different skaters find the back of the net including rookie centre Cooper Foster who scored twice and added an assist. On the season, Foster ranks second among OHL rookies with 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points coming in 20 appearances.
Standing steady atop the WHL’s Western Conference after picking up points in 11 straight, the Portland Winterhawks went perfect over the past week with a trio of victories. Bookending the weekend was Saturday’s 3-2 win over Kamloops that saw the Winterhawks rally for three unanswered tallies following an early deficit, with budding blue-liner and Pittsburgh Penguins 2021 seventh-round selection Ryan McCleary netting the game winner with just 15 seconds remaining in the bonus frame.
Limited to a lone contest on the week, the Seattle Thunderbirds made the most of it in coming away with a 2-1 overtime decision against Everett that saw fellow forwards Kyle Crnkovic and Gracyn Sawchyn provide the offensive support. Skating in his first season with the Thunderbirds, the 2005-born Sawchyn sits second in scoring among all WHL first years with 19 points counting five goals and 14 assists coming in 17 appearances.
Downing Drummondville and splitting a pair with Quebec, the Sherbrooke Phoenix added four points on the week to maintain top spot in the QMJHL’s Western Conference with a showing of 16-4-1-1. Coming away with a decisive 5-1 win over the Remparts on Sunday, pushing the pace for the Phoenix was Montreal Canadiens 2021 fifth-round selection and reigning Jean Beliveau Trophy recipient Joshua Roy who found the back of the net three times to mark his second hat-trick in November.
Amongst the hottest teams in the circuit, the Saskatoon Blades are winners of four straight with the past week counting a 4-3 overtime thriller against Medicine Hat in which four different skaters provided the offense. Among that group was 2004-born left-wing Brandon Lisowsky who also added an assist to move into second in team scoring with 22 points through 19 appearances. Between the pipes, netminder Ethan Chadwick turned aside 16 shots for the defensively sound club.
Recording three points in as many outings, for the Red Deer Rebels the week was highlighted by a 4-1 road win in Edmonton that saw the club cash in three times on the man advantage en route to the victory. Leading the way for the Rebels was captain and New York Rangers 2021 third-round selection Jayden Grubbe who scored once and added two assists. On the season, Grubbe sits second in team scoring with 24 points counting six goals and 18 assists coming in 20 games.
Winners of two of three on the week, the North Bay Battalion earn a spot in the national spotlight for the third week running following key victories over Kingston and Owen Sound. Beginning the week on the right foot, Thursday saw North Bay down Kingston in a 6-2 final where overage centre and Seattle Kraken 2022 seventh rounder Kyle Jackson notched his third career hat-trick while fellow forward Justin Ertel (Dallas Stars) wrapped up the contest with a four-point night.
After falling short to Sarnia on Friday, the Windsor Spitfires bounced back in a big way two nights later, doubling up on Kitchener in an 8-4 road win that saw the squad capitalize four times in the opening frame en route to the eventual victory. Leading the way for the Spitfires was veteran right-wing Alex Christopoulos who tallied twice and added an assist. Part of a well-balanced scoring attack, Christopoulos is one of five skaters in Windsor to have already eclipsed 20 points this season.
Honourable mention:
Drawing national consideration for the first time this season, the Saginaw Spirit are winners of six straight and have climbed to top spot in the OHL’s West Division with a showing of 14-6-1-0. Among the must-sees in Saginaw is exceptional rookie left-wing Michael Misa who paces all OHL first years with 19 points through 15 games.
Returning to the national spotlight, the Gatineau Olympiques went perfect on the week, picking up three victories to push their streak to five straight. Leading the way for the Olympiques on the week was Vegas Golden Knights 2021 first-round selection Zachary Dean who recorded 10 points in three outings.
Picking up back-to-back home ice wins over Saint John, the Halifax Mooseheads flashed their offensive magic in combining for 14 tallies in the two victories. Among the highlights, Friday’s contest saw Columbus Blue Jackets 2022 third rounder Jordan Dumais net his third hat-trick of the season alongside three assists.
