Since the last power rankings, Yorkton has entered the playoff picture, and a few others are on the verge of clinching!
A group of SJHL media decides the power rankings.
1. Melfort Mustangs (40-7-1) (Last week 1st)
The Mustangs took three of four hard-fought points from a set with Humboldt that had many getting deja vu from their epic Round 2 from a year. They ended the series hit hard with injuries, so the hope is that nothing is too severe. The Mustangs are nine points ahead of Flin Flon for first place and are five points away from clinching, or three if they get them from the Bombers this weekend.
2. Flin Flon Bombers (34-11-4) (Last week 2nd)
Flin Flon is three points from clinching at least second in the league after a split on a southern swing last weekend. Their defeat in Melville was just their second loss in February and snapped a five-game winning streak.
3. Melville Millionaires (27-19-3) (Last week 5th)
Doug Johnson’s men complete a long February home stand, having taken all six games and owning the longest win streak in the league at nine contests. Wins this past weekend vs La Ronge and then a big one vs. Flin Flon have the Mils poised to make a big run for a Round 1 home-ice advantage spot down the stretch. They are only five points back of No. 4 Weyburn for that spot, with a busy week ahead.
4. Yorkton Terriers (31-18-1) (Last week 4th)
The Terriers have spent most of a busy February at home, and a couple losses in a row this weekend were a rare blip in an otherwise remarkably consistent campaign. It is primarily tough sledding on the schedule for Emery Olauson’s troops the rest of the way. David Coyle and Jaron Desnoyers still look unstoppable as two of the league’s most consistent producers and the best all-around forwards.
5. Weyburn Red Wings (30-16-2) (Last week 3rd)
February has mostly been away from home for the Wings, and three losses out of the last four suddenly have the Wings’ home-ice spot in Round 1 in jeopardy. However, it was a quiet week with only a wild loss at home to the surging Nipawin Hawks on Friday, so Cody Mapes has some time to help his squad regroup for the final push. Tough matchups this week with Humboldt and Melville loom.
6. Battlefords North Stars (25-20-5) (Last week 7th)
The North Stars pulled off two massive wins this past weekend over Kindersley, earning themselves a good cushion from the bottom of the playoff picture and eyes to move up even further. Nikita Ivascheno’s goal-scoring streak was snapped at a remarkable 11 games in a row, but his point streak is at 12 and going. A healthy and sharp captain, Jack Allan’s back is a massive boost for this team, proving they can beat anyone on any night.
7. Humboldt Broncos (25-20-4) (Last week 6th)
Shorthanded and amid a wildly busy month, the Broncos were able to snatch three valuable points from four in a two-game series with Melfort. The battle between 5-7 to avoid the 2-7 playoffs matchup has been enormous, and Humboldt is desperate to move up. They have shown resilience this year, which should be no surprise given nobody has more winning experience in the league than their Coach, Brayden Klimosko.
8. Kindersley Klippers (22-23-4) (Last week 8th)
Kindersley has had a tough February, and two losses to Battlefords this past weekend have even put the Klippers playoff hopes in trouble. Clayton Jardine’s men have pulled out big performances when they most need them in the past, and with a reasonable schedule coming up, it’s all in their hands to quickly right the ship.
9. La Ronge Ice Wolves (20-25-4) (Last week 9th)
The Ice Wolves won’t go away, and they did their job on a four-games-in-five-day southern swing this past week, grabbing four critical points. Their trip kept them alive in the playoff push, and the two-game home set with Kindersley in town to start March are essentially two Game 7s for Kevin Kaminski’s men. Still, there is no quit in these dogs.
10. Nipawin Hawks (14-30-6) (Last week 11th)
It has been around eight years since the Nipawin Hawks swept a three-games-in-three-days southern swing in Weyburn, Estevan, and Notre Dame, but that’s precisely what they did this past weekend. The young Hawks, who have struggled to score at times this year, pumped in 19 goals in three games and are the talk of the league with the way their team has not quit playing hard and for each other despite the fact the playoffs are out of sight. If this group can stick together for next year, please be on the lookout.
11. Estevan Bruins (15-27-6) (Last week 10th)
It was hard to get anything from their easy 9-0 dismantling of Notre Dame at home on Friday, but when the same thing happened to them at the hands of the Nipawin Hawks the next day, some people scratched their heads. The capabilities of this Estevan team to pull out significant results seem just as straightforward as their ability to lay big eggs. Still, it’s a big tryout for Drew Kocur behind the bench as much as it is for the players for the rest of the campaign.
12. Notre Dame Hounds (11-34-4) (Last week 12th)
The losing streak continues and has been especially disastrous since the news of the relocation to Warman for next year came out last Tuesday. They played well for 40 minutes Sunday against a tired Nipawin team at home, then fell apart in the third period—only four more games in Wilcox in the franchise’s history and seven overall.
