CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 13

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week 13 edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2019-20 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts. The Western Hockey League is represented by four teams as well as one honourable mention this week.

Taking back the title of the top-ranked WHL team in the rankings were the Everett Silvertips, who used a dominating trip through the Central Division to reclaim the top spot in the U.S. Division and Western Conference. Everett secured a 3-1 win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 5-1 win over the Swift Current Broncos, 5-0 win against the Medicine Hat Tigers, and a 6-3 doubling up of the Calgary Hitmen from Wednesday through Sunday. Defenceman Jake Christian made his triumphant return to the Silvertips on Thursday, posting immediate results with eight points (5G-3A) in three games to earn WHL On the Run Player of the Week honours. The Silvertips remained tied in points with the Portland Winterhawks, though they’ve played one fewer game to date, giving them a narrow advantage in the standings. The two teams will meet at the Moda Centre in Portland, Ore. on Friday, December 13 (7:00 p.m. PT).

Occupying the sixth-place spot in the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings this week are the Prince Albert Raiders, who have now built up a seven-point lead in the WHL’s East Division. They split their two weekend games, dropping a 2-1 contest to the Kelowna Rockets before rebounding with a 5-1 win against the Moose Jaw Warriors. A four-game point streak that ended Sunday has 2020 NHL Draft prospect Ozzy Wiesblatt continuing his strong play this season. He has five points (3G-2A) in those four contests and has points in eight of his last 10 games. The next test for the Raiders comes courtesy of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who will pay a visit to the Art Hauser Centre on Wednesday, December 11 (7:00 p.m. CT).

Strong play saw the Portland Winterhawks leap into the numerical rankings this week, soaring up to eighth. The Winterhawks swept a stretch of four consecutive games against the Prince George Cougars, outscoring them by a 15-5 margin. Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) played a major role in those four victories, while posting a 1.24 goals-against average, 0.952 save percentage, and two shutouts in that four-game span. Portland returns to action when the host the Silvertips in their matchup on Friday, December 13 (7:00 p.m. PT) at the Moda Centre.

Right behind the Winterhawks were the Tigers, who remained in the same spot of ninth place for this week’s rankings. They began their week on Friday by completing a home-and-home sweep of the Hurricanes with a 4-3 shootout win in Lethbridge. After suffering a 5-0 shutout at the hands of the Silvertips Saturday, the Tigers rebounded in a big way with an 11-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades Tuesday. A five-assist game by captain James Hamblin vaulted him into the WHL scoring lead with 48 points (17G-31A) through 30 games. The Tigers will continue their three-game road trip against the Raiders on Wednesday, December 11 (7:00 p.m. CT) at the Art Hauser Centre.

Earning an honourable mention this week were the league-leading Edmonton Oil Kings, who split a home-and-home series against the Hitmen. After claiming a 4-2 win in Calgary on Friday, they took a 3-2 overtime loss in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game, sending 16,491 bears onto the ice after Ethan McIndoe’s goal in the second period. Riley Sawchuk still leads the Oil Kings with 36 points (12G-24A) through 32 games. The Oil Kings will host the Broncos for a pair of games starting Wednesday, December 11 (7:00 p.m. MT) at Rogers Place.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 13