Chris Terry continued his climb up the Ontario Hockey League scoring race with a double-digit point week for the Plymouth Whalers. Meanwhile, pivotal matchups between league contenders litter the week ahead, including the highly-anticipated rematch between Calgary and Vancouver.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Tri-City Americans
Last season's regular season champion Tri-City Americans are hitting stride at the right time, having won their last nine games. Tri-City won all four last week, including a huge tilt against U.S. Division rival Spokane on Saturday. With 97 points and six games remaining this season, Tri-City could beat their franchise best 108 points set last season.
Hot player: Mitch Fadden, Tri-City Americans
The overage forward and central threat in the Tri-City Americans' offence led the charge last week. In four games, Fadden scored six goals and added an assist with a plus-4 rating. Two of Fadden's goals were insurance markers in wins while another opened the scoring against rival Spokane.
Cold team: Chilliwack Bruins
The learning lessons continued for the young, rebuilding franchise in Chilliwack. The Bruins lost all four last week, including two lopsided losses to Tri-City and Vancouver. Chilliwack's last win came on Feb. 18 in a shootout over Kelowna. Their win over the Rockets two weeks ago is their only victory in the last 17 games.
Cold player: Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings
A potential top five pick in this summer's National Hockey League draft, Schenn had difficulty finding the back of the net last week. In three games, Schenn was held to one assist and a minus-6. With teammate Scott Glennie out after suffering a broken left elbow recently, teams will focus even more so on the sophomore forward.
Game of the week: Calgary Hitmen vs. Vancouver Giants, Friday
In a game many are billing as a league finals preview, the Hitmen head west for their only date in Vancouver all season. Calgary hosted the Giants Jan. 16, a 6-3 win by the Hitmen. Both teams have been neck-and-neck since the start of the season and are in a heated battle for first overall. Calgary leads the league in points with 114, two ahead of Vancouver while the Giants hold two games in hand. This game is as big a non-conference game as fans will see this season. This game will go a long way in determining the regular season champion.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Rimouski Océanic
Just one game on the schedule for the Memorial Cup-host Océanic and the red-hot team added to their impressive winning streak. The Océanic defeated Chicoutimi 6-5, extending the streak to 15 consecutive games. Although the team can't catch the Québec Remparts for first in the Telus Eastern Division standings, no one will want to meet Rimouski once the playoffs begin.
Hot player: Benjamin Casavant, P.E.I. Rocket
The former Rouyn-Noranda Husky has quietly orchestrated a stellar season with the Rocket. In three games, Casavant scored six times and added two assists with a plus-4 rating. Casavant scored the tying and game-winning goal against Saint John Saturday, while also assisting on Maxime Lévesque's insurance marker.
Cold team: Acadie-Bathurst Titan
With rumours swirling regarding the franchise's home next season, the product on the ice continues to suffer. The Titan lost all three games last week, now seeing their losing streak hit eight consecutive games. In spite of the mounting losses, Acadie-Bathurst can take solace in the fact each game last week was lost by just one goal. Meanwhile, an announcement about the organization's future could come as early as this week.
Cold player: Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
The league's top goaltender is human, after all. While Riopel can hardly be blamed for his team's shortcomings on their Québec road trip, his numbers were far lower than he has proven capable this season. Through three games, Riopel was beat 11 times on 76 shots for a 0.855 save percentage. The lowest point came Sunday in a game televised nationally on Rogers Sportsnet where Riopel was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 18 shots.
Game of the week: Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. Rimouski Océanic, Sunday
Fewer games down the stretch will have the combination of top teams with plenty of playoff implications on the line. The league-leading Voltigeurs head to a building they hope to call home in mid-May during the Memorial Cup tournament while their fight with Shawinigan for first overall spills over into this week. The Océanic are the league's hottest team the past month, increasing their goal scoring while dropping their average of goals against. Rimouski couldn't ask for a bigger test as they prepare for what is looking like a very unpredictable playoff year.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Plymouth Whalers
Cinderella's slipper could very well be planted on Plymouth's foot this season. The Whalers won all three games on their road trip through Saginaw, Kitchener and Erie, extending their winning streak to four games. Plymouth has won nine of their last 10 games, losing just once in Erie in the last month of play. Don't look now but the Whalers are hitting stride at the right time.
Hot player: Chris Terry, Plymouth Whalers
The 19-year-old Terry has been the main catalyst behind the resurgent Whalers in the second half of the season. Terry lit the lamp three times while assisting on nine others for 12 points in three games. With Terry's help, rookie forward Tyler Seguin enjoyed a nine-point week. The Whalers will need much of the same down the stretch if they're going to get home ice in the first round.
Cold team: Oshawa Generals
With John Tavares in their lineup, the playoffs were never in question for the Oshawa Generals. Now that the Tavares-era is concluded, so too may be the playoffs this season. Oshawa lost all three games, two of which came to teams with winning streaks below .500. Oshawa's losing streak sits at four games while the team has won just twice in their last 10. They currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, one point up on the Peterborough Petes.
Cold player: Zack Kassian, Peterborough Petes
The sophomore sniper picked the wrong time for a slump. With his team fighting for one of the few remaining playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, Kassian recorded just one assist in three outings and was a minus-2. The gritty forward is at his best in the offensive zone when he slows the pace down and picks his spots. If Peterborough is going to make the playoffs more production will be needed from Kassian.
Game of the week: London Knights vs. Windsor Spitfires, Sunday
While this game means nothing in the standings as the Spitfires have already clinched home ice throughout the playoffs, the Knights have everything to gain with a win. London has lost all five of the previous games against Windsor this season with their final opportunity of the season coming in the Spitfires' new rink - the first time they will play at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre. A win for London would give the team confidence knowing they can beat their season-long nemesis while a win for Windsor would further prove their dominance over the powerhouse Knights.
