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 11-0-0-1 (Last Week 1st) – Despite their first defeat of the season, the Battlefords North Stars have still earned points in all 12 of their games so far this season. They continue to get superb goaltending and contributions from up and down their line-up. The Stars also continue to be high on the CJHL Top 20 rankings as they were ranked 2nd in the latest rankings which were released on Monday. Battlefords will continue their 8 game homestand this week as they play host to the Yorkton Terriers for a pair of games.
2. Humboldt Broncos 10-1-0-0 (Last Week 2nd) – The Humboldt Broncos were 1:20 away from remaining undefeated on the season, but two quick goals late in the 3rd period last Tuesday against La Ronge resulted in Humboldt suffering their first loss of the campaign. However, the club would bounce back in a big way Friday night with an 11-4 win over Nipawin and follow it up with a 2-1 win at home against Melville. Jacob Boucher led the way for the green and gold with 7 points in 3 games and was named SGEU MVP of the Week. Humboldt will be on the road in Kindersley Friday to meet the Klippers and host Nipawin on Saturday.
3. Estevan Bruins 8-7-0-0 (Last Week 4th) – The Estevan Bruins continue to climb up the SJHL Power Rankings. The club had their 7 game winning streak snapped on Saturday by the Battlefords North Stars, but prior to that earned wins over both the Flin Flon Bombers and the Kindersley Klippers. Kade Runke is leading the way for Estevan up front with 9 goals, 12 assists, and 21 points on the year, which is leading the league, and Cam Hrdlicka continues to be a workhorse in between the pipes. The Bruins will travel to Melfort for a pair of games with the Mustangs this weekend.
4. Flin Flon Bombers 8-3-1-1 (Last Week 3rd) – It was an up and down week for the Flin Flon Bombers, playing 4 games in 5 nights on the road. The trip began with a convincing 7-2 win in Melville, but was then followed by an 8-6 loss to the Estevan Bruins in a re-match of last year’s final. Flin Flon would then get a win over Weyburn, but would drop the finale of their trip to the Hounds in Wilcox 4-1. Despite a 2-2 road trip, the Bombers continue to lead the Sherwood division with a 3 point lead over the La Ronge Ice Wolves. After a busy week on the road, the Bombers will return to the Whitney Forum for one game this week as they host Notre Dame on Friday.
5. La Ronge Ice Wolves 7-5-1-1 (Last Week 9th) – The biggest mover in the Power Rankings this week is the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Like the Flin Flon Bombers, they also played 4 games in 5 nights on the road, but they were able to go 3-1. The Wolves kicked off the trip with a come from behind 3-2 win over the Humboldt Broncos, but then dropped a 2-1 decision to the Yorkton Terriers Wednesday. After a day off, the Wolves would win 3-2 Friday in Melville and wrap up the trip with a 4-1 victory over the Terriers. The Ice Wolves now own a 7-5-1-0 record and will now play their next 4 at home and next 10 out of 11 games at the Mel Hegland Uniplex.
6. Yorkton Terriers 6-4-0-0 (Last Week 5th) – The Yorkton Terriers are one of two teams to only play 10 games so far this season. Despite the light schedule, the Terriers are just 4 points back of the Estevan Bruins for top spot in the Viterra division. Unfortunately for the Terriers though, they were unable to get close to the Bruins after going 1-2 this past week in 3 home games. Now the club will head out on the road for 3 games in 3 nights, with two games in Battlefords against the North Stars and wrap up the trip in Kindersley against the Klippers.
7. Melfort Mustangs 4-6-4-0 (Last Week 7th) – This past weekend kind of summed up the Mustang’s start to the season in a nutshell. Inconsistent. Melfort went into a hostile environment in Battlefords Friday and did something no other team has done this season and that is hand the North Stars a loss. However, the very next night the Mustangs were unable to build off of their solid performance and dropped a 7-4 decision to the Kindersley Klippers who sit at the bottom of the SJHL standings. Melfort will look to get back on track when they return to the Northern Lights Palace this weekend for two home games against the Estevan Bruins.
8. Nipawin Hawks 5-6-1-1 (Last Week 8th) – It was another up and down weekend for the Nipawin Hawks. Tuesday the Hawks clawed (pun intended) their way back from a two goal deficit to earn a 7-5 win on the road over the Yorkton Terriers, but then the Hawks would drop an 11-4 decision at home to the Humboldt Broncos. Maguire Ratzlaff continues to put the puck in the back of the net for the Hawks as he netted a hat-trick on Tuesday and two more Friday to bring his goal total to 13 on the season which is the most in the SJHL going into this week. The Hawks will host Notre Dame Thursday and be in Humboldt on Saturday.
9. Notre Dame Hounds 4-6-0-1 (Last Week 11th) – It was a perfect week at home for the Notre Dame Hounds against two teams from the Sherwood division. Tuesday the Hounds would come back to beat the Melfort Mustangs 4-3 and earn an impressive 4-1 win over the Flin Flon Bombers Saturday. Tucker Inabinet was solid in between the pipes for the Hounds in both of their wins, which resulted in him being named Sasktel Goalie of the Week. After earning 5 out of a possible 8 points at home during their homestand, the Hounds will hit the road for 3 games in 3 nights this week in Nipawin, Flin Flon, and La Ronge.
10. Melville Millionaires 4-6-1-1 (Last Week 6th) – It was a tough week for the Melville Millionaires. The club went 0-3, which included a 7-2 loss at home to the Flin Flon Bombers last Tuesday. However, their other two games were more competitive and closer, as they fell in a pair of one goal hockey games to La Ronge and Humboldt. With the winless week, the Mills are now 6 points back of the Estevan Bruins for tops in the Viterra division. They will look to snap a 3 game losing skid when they host Weyburn on Friday which kicks off a home and home between the two clubs.
11. Kindersley Klippers 2-6-0-2 (Last Week 12th) – Following a pair of losses on the road in Flin Flon where the Klippers didn’t find the back of the net, Kindersley returned to the West Central Events Centre to kick off a 5 game homestand and held their alumni weekend. However, it didn’t start the way Kindersley was hoping as they were shutout for a 3rd straight game Friday against Estevan. The bounces though would go their way Saturday against Melfort as they earned a much needed 7-4 win. Now they will look to build off of it when they continue their stretch at home Tuesday (tonight) against the Weyburn Red Wings.
12. Weyburn Red Wings 4-8-0-0 (Last Week 10th) – The quietest team on the ice this past week was the Weyburn Red Wings, but coming off back to back busy weeks schedule wise, the rest was welcomed. In their lone game of the week the Wings dropped a 6-3 decision to the Flin Flon Bombers at home which was Weyburn’s 3rd straight defeat. Now the club will gear up for a busy and important week as they play 3 games against a pair of clubs who are right around them in the standings. Weyburn is in Kindersley Tuesday (tonight) and will then play a home and home against the Melville Millionaires this weekend.
