The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 19 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season.
Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 19
1. Winnipeg ICE (40-7-1-0)
2. Quebec Remparts (41-7-1-2)
3. Seattle Thunderbirds (38-9-1-1)
4. Gatineau Olympiques (34-12-4-2)
5. Halifax Mooseheads (36-8-4-3)
6. Sherbrooke Phœnix (35-12-3-2)
7. Kamloops Blazers (33-10-4-2)
8. Ottawa 67’s (36-11-2-2)
9. London Knights 36-13-1-0)
10. Windsor Spitfires (35-12-3-1)
HM. Portland Winterhawks (36-11-2-2)
HM. North Bay Battalion (35-14-1-1)
HM. Red Deer Rebels (36-12-1-3)
After a perfect 3-0-0 week, where they scored 22 goals, the Winnipeg ICE jumped back to no. 1 for the 11th time this season. Conor Geekie (ARI) scored twice in the first game of a back-to-back against Calgary in an 8-2 win while Connor McClennon’s (PHI) hat-trick on Thursday led the ICE to a wild 7-6 win. They completed the week with a 7-1 triumph over Edmonton Saturday as Owen Pederson scored twice as the ICE became the second CHL team to 40 wins this year.
After two weeks atop the standings, the Quebec Remparts drop into second place after they split their two games last week. A 6-3 road win over Baie-Comeau Wednesday was followed by a 5-4 loss in Chicoutimi Saturday. The Remparts’ 41 wins and 85 points continue to lead the CHL.
The Seattle Thunderbirds jump back into the Top 3 for the first time since Week 16 AFTER a two-win week. Jared Davidson (MTL) and Nico Myatovic each scored twice Friday in a 6-1 win over Red Deer before Thomas Milic, who backstopped Canada to gold at the 2023 World Juniors, stopped all 36 shots he saw Saturday in a 3-0 road win over Portland. Seattle’s 38 wins are the most in the WHL’s Western Conference this season and the third most in the WHL.
With their win streak at eight games, the Gatineau Olympiques jump to a season high fourth spot in the rankings. A matchup with Halifax Wednesday was decided in the ninth round of the shootout as Joey Vetrano scored the winner before Olivier Nadeau (BUF) starred in the Alexandra Cup series with six goals in two games as Gatineau swept its two games against the OHL leading 67’s.
While their 25-game unbeaten streak in regulation was ended, the Halifax Mooseheads maintain a Top 5 spot with 1-1-1 week. After their shootout defeat to Gatineau, the Mooseheads’ streak was snapped by Drummondville Friday in a 6-4 loss despite three-point efforts from Alexandre Doucet and Jordan Dumais (CBJ). However, Halifax got back into the win column Saturday courtesy of a 5-2 win in Shawinigan where Dumais once again had three points to take his season total to 98, the best in the CHL.
A two-win weekend maintained the Sherbrooke Phoenix’s sixth place after they collected back-to-back road wins. In Friday’s CHL on TSN broadcast, Tyson Hinds (ANA) had three points in a 6-1 win over Blainville-Boisbriand while 24 hours later Olivier Adam shutout Victoriaville 4-0 to push the Phoenix’s streak to 6-0-1.
Winners of six straight, the Kamloops Blazers move up two spots after a pair of home wins. The hosts of the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia beat Saskatoon 5-2 Friday while Matthew Seminoff (DAL) scored the game-winner with 7.2 seconds left in regulation the next day to beat Prince George 5-4. Logan Stankoven’s (DAL) incredible season continued as he pushed his point streak to 34 games, the longest active streak in the CHL.
Two defeats against Gatineau bookended the Ottawa 67’s week as they drop to their lowest ranking since Week 3. Their lone win this season came against Niagara where Logan Morrison scored four times. Ottawa’s 36 wins are tied for the most in the OHL this season while their 76 points lead the league.
With an eight-game winning streak, the London Knights jump back into the Top 10 for the first time since Week 14. The Knights collected a narrow 5-4 win over Kitchener Wednesday before an eight-goal outburst on Friday, led by Denver Barkey’s two goals, saw them defeat Erie 8-1. Ryan Humphrey’s three points Saturday led London to a 5-1 win in Guelph and to their 36th victory of the season.
A trio of OHL clubs round out the Top 10 as the Windsor Spitfires claim the final spot due to their seven-game winning streak. Even without Shane Wright (SEA) in the lineup, the Spits collected three wins last week. Brett Harrison’s (BOS) five points led the way in a 9-3 win over Flint Wednesday before the Spits headed home to beat the Soo 5-4 on Rodwin Dionicio’s overtime winner a day later. On Saturday, Alex Christopoulos scored twice in a 5-2 road win against Saginaw as Windsor became just the fourth OHL team to 35 wins.
Honourable mentions:
Despite a 1-1-1 week, the Portland Winterhawks still own the third best winning percentage in the WHL. The club collected a point Tuesday is a 5-4 shootout loss to Red Deer and led by Marcus Nguyen’s four points Friday, won 6-3 in Tri-City. A shutout loss to Seattle concluded their week.
The North Bay Battalion went .500 last week as they remained the fourth best team in the OHL. A 4-2 defeat to Sarnia Thursday was forgotten Sunday as they took down the Colts 4-2 to secure their 35th win of the season.
Two shootout wins for the Red Deer Rebels this week were wrapped around a defeat in Seattle. Ben King (ANA) scored twice in regulation and then buried the shootout winner Tuesday against Portland before the Rebels suffered a 6-1 setback to Seattle. On Saturday, Frantisek Formanek secured the two points in a 2-1 shootout win over Tri-City. Red Deer’s 76 points this year are the third most in the WHL.
