The SJHL Power Rankings are decided each and every week by a group of SJHL broadcasters and will be released each Tuesday.
1. Battlefords North Stars 20-0-2-1 (Last Week 1st) – It wasn’t a scheduled off week for the Battlefords North Stars, but it turned into one following the postponement of their 2 games with the La Ronge Ice Wolves. The North Stars continue to be the top team in both the SJHL and CJHL, and they will finally return to the ice on Friday when they host the Notre Dame Hounds. This will be the Stars first game in 13 days. The game will also mark the return to the Access Communications Centre for the Stars after their last two home games were moved due to repairs which were needed to be done at the rink.
2. Flin Flon Bombers 16-6-2-1 (Last Week 3rd) – It was a playoff like atmosphere at the Whitney Forum Saturday night when the Bombers hosted the Melfort Mustangs and the two Sherwood division rivals went back and forth, but in the end it was the Bombers who earned a 5-4 win in overtime. The two teams ended up splitting their home and home. Cole Duperreault continues to be on a tear as he had another 4 point night Saturday and the Bombers power-play continues to be red hot scoring two on the man advantage. Flin Flon will head to Melville on Friday and Yorkton Saturday.
3. Melfort Mustangs 12-8-5-0 (Last Week 4th) – The Melfort Mustangs are playing their best hockey of the season right now, with 11 out of a possible 12 points in their last 6 games. They knocked off the Bombers at home 6-3 Friday night, and earned a point at the Whitney Forum Saturday night despite being outshot 52-26. Both of the Mustangs goaltenders continue to play well and so does recently named SGEU MVP of the Week Zac Somers who had 4 goals and 2 assists this past weekend against the Bombers. Melfort will be home to Yorkton Friday, which is also their Teddy Bear toss and Battlefords on Saturday.
4. La Ronge Ice Wolves 16-7-1-0 (Last Week 2nd) – The La Ronge Ice Wolves were originally scheduled to play 3 games in 3 nights on the road this past week, but due to illness, the games were postponed. However, La Ronge will have a busy week this week with 4 games in 5 nights down in southern Saskatchewan. It all kicks off Tuesday night when the Wolves battle the Notre Dame Hounds. They will also play Weyburn and Estevan twice. The last time the Wolves hit the road for 4 games in 5 nights, they went 3-1.
5. Humboldt Broncos 16-7-1-0 (Last Week 6th) – After their game on Wednesday was postponed, the Humboldt Broncos lone game of the week was Saturday which saw the Broncos earn a 4-0 win over the Yorkton Terriers. Newcomer Hayden Dunford earned his first SJHL shutout Saturday with 29 saves in the win, in just his 2nd game with the team. It will be another quiet week for the Broncos as they only play one game and it isn’t until Saturday when they visit the Weyburn Red Wings.
6. Estevan Bruins 15-13-0-0 (Last Week 5th) – The Estevan Bruins were another team who had the full week off due to postponements, but for Estevan the time off may be welcomed due to the amount of games they have already played this season. By the end of this week, the Bruins will reach the 30 game mark as they host the La Ronge Ice Wolves on both Wednesday and Saturday. Wednesday’s game also marks the Bruins annual Teddy Bear Toss night for the local Salvation Army.
7. Notre Dame Hounds 10-11-1-1 (Last Week 7th) – Just one game this past week for the Hounds as they hosted the Kindersley Klippers for an afternoon game on Sunday. Despite having 9 days off, the Hounds were able to secure a 4-3 win over the Kindersley Klippers and earn a big 2 points. This week will be much busier for the Hounds as they host La Ronge Tuesday in their final game at the Duncan McNeill Arena before Christmas, and then they will hit the road for games in Battlefords and Kindersley this weekend.
8. Nipawin Hawks 10-12-1-1 (Last Week 8th) – Similar to the Hounds, the Hawks only played one game this past week and they were able to earn a massive two points on the road in Melville, winning 3-2 in overtime. Sunday’s game also kicked off 3 straight games for the Hawks against the Millionaires, but the next two will be played in Nipawin on Wednesday and Sunday. Going into this week, the Hawks are currently holding on to the final playoff spot in the SJHL.
9. Melville Millionaires 8-14-2-1 (Last Week 12th) – The Millionaires snapped their 6 game losing streak early on in the week and they built off of it for their next two games. Melville earned 5 out of a possible 6 points this week with a pair of wins over the Kindersley Klippers and an overtime loss to the Hawks. The Mills have now climbed out of the basement of the SJHL and are now just 3 points out of a playoff spot. The Mills will pay a visit to the Cage in Nipawin on Wednesday and Sunday this week, and will also have a home game against the Flin Flon Bombers sandwiched in the middle on Friday.
10. Yorkton Terriers 10-14-0-0 (Last Week 11th) – Just like the Melville Millionaires, it was a big week for the Yorkton Terriers. They earned a pair of overtime wins over the Kindersley Klippers to close out a four game homestand, before falling 4-0 to the Humboldt Broncos Saturday on the road. Caleb Allen was superb in between the pipes for the Terriers in both of their wins against Kindersley and as a result was named Sasktel Goalie of the Week. Going into Tuesday’s game against the Red Wings, the Terriers are 2 points back of the final playoff spot in the SJHL. Yorkton will also be home to Flin Flon on Saturday.
11. Weyburn Red Wings 8-14-0-1 (Last Week 10th) – The Weyburn Red Wings had both of their games postponed this past week and haven’t been on the ice since their 7-1 loss to the La Ronge Ice Wolves on November 19th. After 10 days, the club will return to the ice Tuesday night against Yorkton as they also look to get closer to a playoff spot. Tuesday’s game will kick off a 6 game homestand for the Wings, who will also be home to La Ronge on Friday and Humboldt Saturday.
12. Kindersley Klippers 5-13-2-4 (Last Week 9th) – The busiest team this past week was the Kindersley Klippers as they hit the road for 5 games in 6 games. While that is a lot of hockey for any team to endure, it was a great opportunity for the Klippers to make up their games in hand and catch up to some teams in front of them. However, the club went winless during their trip and only managed to pick up 2 out of a possible 10 points. They will return home on Saturday for a re-match against the Notre Dame Hounds.
