Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! As the carol goes, probably: “O, the weather outside is frightful, but the playoff races are so delightful.”
You can check out the final power rankings of 2024 here.
A group of SJHL media decides the power rankings.
1. Melfort Mustangs (26-4-0) (Last week 1st)
The Mustangs won three more this past week, all against teams out of the playoff picture, but as the old saying goes: “You can only beat the team in front of you.” Notre Dame and Nipawin both certainly put up a fight, but at the end of the day, Melfort wins. Their streak is at 15 wins in a row, and the Mustangs are a ridiculous 14-0 in one-goal games.
2. Flin Flon Bombers (19-9-2) (Last week 2nd)
Coach Mike Reagan and their two players away at the Junior A World Challenge returned with aplomb. A big win over Nipawin this past week was followed up with two hard-fought victories over the La Ronge Ice Wolves, and it’s all humming along nicely in northeastern Manitoba.
3. Yorkton Terriers (18-9-1) (Last week 3rd)
To anyone who says Melfort and Flin Flon are running away with the league, the Terriers keep saying, “Not so fast!” Emery Olauson’s men took down Weyburn in Assiniboia last week before doing the same against the Wings at home on Saturday. Their game against Notre Dame on Friday was postponed due to inclement weather, and they have an opportunity to have a perfect December at home on Dec. 30 vs. their rivals from Melville.
4. Weyburn Red Wings (17-10-2) (Last week 5th)
Weyburn is finally back home after their spell in Assiniboia and celebrated with a big win at the CPP last Thursday vs. Humboldt. They are part of the “Don’t forget about us!” club alongside Yorkton. The break does come at a good time for Cody Mapes’ squad, which was racked with key injuries.
5. Melville Millionaires (15-13-3) (Last week 7th)
Doug Johnson’s men had only the lone clash this past week, a gritty win in Wilcox over the Notre Dame Hounds. The best news out of the Bank these days is that new goaltender Ben Laurette looks the real deal after allowing only a single goal over six periods of Melville hockey so far.
6. Battlefords North Stars (15-10-5) (Last week 4th)
The highs and lows of hockey can be so wild. Battlefords came off their big overtime win over Flin Flon two weeks ago, then dropped two in a row this past week to the Kindersley Klippers.
7. Kindersley Klippers (16-15-1) (Last week, 8th)
Kindersley got Jaxon Herchak back from Canada West and the JAWC, and its mojo was also returned. This past week, they had two solid wins against their fierce rival Battlefords North Stars to end 2024, which rewarded two outstanding performances. Clayton Jardine has to be smiling somewhere. They had three wins in a row heading into Christmas and have a manageable schedule to start 2025.
8. La Ronge Ice Wolves (14-17-1) (Last week 6th)
Few clubs had as demanding a December schedule as La Ronge, with four of seven tilts against division rivals Melfort and Flin Flon. They put a lot into their two defeats this past weekend’s home-and-home with Flin Flon, though, and should have plenty of positives to take into the new year.
9. Humboldt Broncos (15-15-1) (Last week 9th)
Not many teams this year needed a win like the Broncos did Saturday, and they got it via a Jacob Strizzi hat trick in Estevan. Humboldt has still lost four of five, so will relish the opportunity to reload and refresh from a long Holiday break until they resume on Jan. 4.
10. Estevan Bruins (11-13-4) (Last week 10th)
The break did not come at a perfect time for the Bruins, as they were healthy by the end of the first half for the first time all year. Two splits in consecutive weeks, notably against Humboldt this past weekend, were full of positives, though the goals still won’t seem to come in the same abundance as the scoring chances Estevan creates.
11. Nipawin Hawks (7-20-4) (Last week 11th)
The Hawks played as well a period as anybody has against Melfort for a long time on the SaskTel Game of the Month last Friday at home, exiting up 2-0 and totally dominating. Still short-benched, they ran out of gas, and as the Mustangs do, the defending champs found a way to win anyway. The next night in Melfort was even tougher, but the messages seemed to get through to Tad Kozun’s young group if only they could get healthy.
12. Notre Dame Hounds (8-19-3) (Last week 12th)
Notre Dame had two tough losses this past week, but the best news was the wonderful performance of young Kaden Perron in his second career start Tuesday vs. Melfort. No. 1 goaltender Spencer Borsos has played a lot of hockey this year, so to see Perron do well must be a big encouragement for the club. A 12-point gap with the playoffs is a big mountain to climb, just like it is for Nipawin, but they can only climb it one day at a time.
