Melfort, Flin Flon, and Weyburn have all punched their tickets to the dance. Who is next?
A group of SJHL media decides the power rankings.
1. Melfort Mustangs (38-7-0) (Last week 1st)
Another week, another couple of one-goal wins for the Mustangs, at home to Weyburn and in La Ronge. They are now a ridiculous 17-0-0-0 on the year in one-goal games. Crazy.
2. Flin Flon Bombers (33-10-4) (Last week 2nd)
Flin Flon picked up two more solid wins this past week, at home vs. Notre Dame, and have given up two or fewer goals against in seven straight games and 14 of 15. This team is just as dominant as last year’s juggernaut; they just do it slightly differently.
3. Weyburn Red Wings (30-15-2) (Last week 3rd)
The Wings pulled off a couple of much-needed wins this past week, ending the long trip with a 1-0 win in Nipawin and a Family Day home victory over Estevan. This is a veteran, leader-rich group, but they are better when Cyprus Smith-Davis is healthy and in the line-up.
4. Yorkton Terriers (30-16-1) (Last week 4th)
The Terriers are hot on Weyburn’s heels as they have extended their win streak to five games with three wild wins, two over Estevan and one late rally vs. Humboldt. Their next four are at home, too, so the finish to the season for playoff positioning at the Westland Arena looks like a lot of fun ahead.
5. Melville Millionaires (25-19-3) (Last week 5th)
Nobody is hotter in the league right now than the Melville Millionaires, who will beat you any way these days. Two big victories over Kindersley this past week kept the Mils’ noses ahead of Humboldt and Battlefords in the No. 5 spot, but much of the rest of the season is at home for Doug Johnson’s men.
6. Humboldt Broncos (24-19-4) (Last week 6th)
Humboldt ran into some old bad habits this past week and got burned falling in Battlefords and at home to the high-flying Yorkton Terriers. It’s true measuring stick time for the Broncos with a home-and-home with Melfort coming up.
7. Battlefords North Stars (23-19-5) (Last week 8th)
The North Stars have a chip the size of the Access Communications Centre on their shoulders and have parlayed that into three key wins in their last five since early February. A healthy and sharp Jackson Allan and Justen Maric are enormous for them, so which North Stars team will show up down the stretch? They have repeatedly proven that they can beat anyone on their night.
8. Kindersley Klippers (22-21-4) (Last week 7th)
The Klippers ran into a red-hot Melville team this past week but still have the runway to move up from eighth. The space between them and No. 9 La Ronge is still relatively big, but you must know Coach Jardine won’t let his guys get comfortable. This weekend, a massive home-and-home with their intense West Sask rival Battlefords North Stars looms.
9. La Ronge Ice Wolves (18-23-4) (Last week 9th)
La Ronge heads out on a southern swing road trip, which is now or never for Kevin Kaminski’s men. They played Nipawin and Melfort very tight this past week but came away with only one point. If there is a late-season push for the post-season coming for the Wolves, we might know a lot more by this time next week.
10. Estevan Bruins (14-26-6) (Last week 10th)
The Bruins keep playing loose, free, fun hockey for their great fans and new head coach Drew Kocur. Saturday’s loss in Yorkton was heartbreaking, and they gave all they could in front of a rocking Weyburn crowd on Family Day. The Bruins have a reasonable schedule for the rest of February.
11. Nipawin Hawks (11-30-6) (Last week 11th)
Nipawin played extremely well this past weekend, only narrowly falling to Weyburn despite getting plenty of chances against the Top 3 side and then rallying with a tremendous third period to down Notre Dame. A three-in-three southern swing looms, but many positive signs continue for Tad Kozun’s troops.
12. Notre Dame Hounds (11-31-4) (Last week 12th)
A tough northern swing this past weekend notwithstanding, the biggest news around the Hounds, of course, was the pending relocation of the team to Warman for next season. This group will be playing for jobs next year, whether in college or with the hopes of attending training camp with Coach Brett at the wonderful Legends Centre north of Saskatoon.
