The SJHL Power Rankings are decided each and every week by a group of SJHL broadcasters and will be released each Tuesday.
1. Melfort Mustangs 4-0-0-0 (Last Week 1st): The beat goes on for the Melfort Mustangs as they picked up a pair of wins over the weekend at the Northern Lights Palace to remain undefeated on the season. The Stangs continue to get production from up and down their line-up and James Venne has been rock solid in between the pipes to start the 23/24 campaign. The homestand will continue this weekend for the Mustangs as they welcome the Weyburn Red Wings for a pair of games.
2. Flin Flon Bombers 3-0-1-0 (Last Week 3rd): It was a perfect weekend for the Flin Flon Bombers and their offence was out in full force. The Bombers combined for 18 goals in just two games against the La Ronge Ice Wolves and were led by 20-year-old forward Jacob Vockler who found the back of the net seven times and added a pair of assists. Flin Flon will look to build off their weekend sweep as they return to the Whitney Forum for a pair of games against Notre Dame this weekend.
3. Weyburn Red Wings 3-0-0-1 (Last Week 4th): Similar to the Flin Flon Bombers, the Weyburn Red Wings swept their home and home this past weekend. They would go into Affinity Place and earn a 6-2 win over the Bruins and then followed it up with a 2-1 shootout win at Crescent Point Place. Dazza Mitchell continues to be the story in Weyburn, winning his 2nd Sasktel Goalie of the Week award in as many weeks and through four games has a 1.18 Goals Against Average and a .964 Save Percentage.
4. Humboldt Broncos 2-0-0-0 (Last Week 2nd): The only reason why the Humboldt Broncos dropped this week in the Power Rankings is because they didn’t play a game this past week. The good news for Broncos fans is they get to return to the ice this week at home as they host La Ronge Tuesday night and Notre Dame Sunday afternoon.
5. Nipawin Hawks 2-1-0-1 (Last Week 11th): After a weekend where the Hawks were unable to earn a win, Nipawin was able to earn their first two wins of the campaign at home with impressive victories over Kindersley and Notre Dame. The Buckberger’s continue to lead the way for the Hawks and this week Ronan earned DirectWest Rookie of the Week honours following a goal and three assists in two games. The Hawks will play a home and home this weekend against the defending Canterra Seeds Cup Champion Battlefords North Stars.
6. Melville Millionaires 2-1-0-0 (Last Week 6th): It was a quiet week for the Melville Millionaires with just one game at home, but the Mills impressed once again, earning a 3-1 win over the Battlefords North Stars. The Mills continue to be great defensively to start the 23/24 year, allowing just 4 goals against in three games. Melville will be home to La Ronge on Friday night and then travel to Estevan for an afternoon contest on Thanksgiving Monday.
7. Yorkton Terriers 2-1-1-0 (Last Week 5th): The Yorkton Terriers split their pair of games this past week with the Battlefords North Stars, but the Terriers offence came to life in the pair of games as they found the back of the net 14 times. Defenceman Tyson Perkins played a big part in the surge in production as he had five assists in the two games, resulting in him earning SuperU Defenceman of the Week honours. The Terriers will continue their homestand this week as they host La Ronge on Wednesday and Saturday.
8. Battlefords North Stars 2-3-0-0 (Last Week 7th): The first big road trip of the year for the Battlefords North Stars resulted in the defending champs earning just two out of a possible six points. This coming week won’t get any easier for the Stars either, as they will meet the Nipawin Hawks in a home and home beginning Friday night at the Centennial Arena in Nipawin.
9. Estevan Bruins 1-2-0-1 (Last Week 8th): It’s been a slow start to the season for the defending Viterra division champions. The Bruins went winless this past week, but they did earn a point Saturday night in a tough 2-1 shootout loss to the Weyburn Red Wings. The good news for the Bruins is they won’t have to travel much in October with just two road games and they will begin a four-game homestand Friday when they host the Kindersley Klippers.
10. Kindersley Klippers 1-3-0-0 (Last Week 9th): It was a tough road trip for the Kindersley Klippers over the weekend as they dropped both of their games in two difficult arenas. Friday they fell 7-1 in Nipawin to the Hawks and then were on the other side of a 5-3 result in Melfort Saturday. The Klippers will remain on the road this week with a pair of games in Estevan Friday and Saturday.
11. La Ronge Ice Wolves 1-3-0-0 (Last Week 10th): While the La Ronge Ice Wolves did drop both games to the Flin Flon Bombers this past weekend, there are some positives for Ice Wolves fans to take away. One is the offence. In the two games against Flin Flon, La Ronge scored 11 goals. Mason Bueckert has led the charge for the Wolves to start the year and is currently first in SJHL scoring going into Tuesday (Oct 3rd) with 4 goals and 6 assists.
12. Notre Dame Hounds 0-4-0-0 (Last Week 12th): The lone winless team in the SJHL sits at the bottom of the SJHL Power Rankings for the 2nd week in a row. The Hounds had a rough night in Melfort Friday falling 8-1, and despite a better performance in Nipawin Saturday the club still lost 4-2. The bad news for the Hounds is it won’t get any easier. The Hounds play four games this week. All on the road. It starts Tuesday in Weyburn against the Red Wings. They will then head North to Flin Flon for a pair and then wrap up their trip with a meeting with the Humboldt Broncos Sunday afternoon at the EPA.
