Mitch Wahl

BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

Calgary Flames prospect Mitch Wahl turned in another solid playmaking performance to capture the Western Hockey League's hot player honours. Meanwhile, the Victoriaville Tigres and Drummondville Voltigeurs end their season series this week in a home-and-home that could determine their division.

Ontario Hockey League

Hot team: London Knights

The Knights opted not to trade away the core of its team, particularly Maple Leafs prospect Nazem Kadri, in what is looking like a shrewd decision. London is riding a five-game winning-streak and trail the Windsor Spitfires by just 11 points for first place in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Kadri enjoyed another nine-point week in three games.

Hot player: Mike Latta, Guelph Storm

The third-round pick of the Nashville Predators was one of many streaking Storm players. Latta scored five times and assisted on four more for nine points in three games with a plus-2 rating. He enjoyed his first four-goal game of his career in Guelph's 6-3 win over Plymouth. Latta scored the first goal, game-winner and insurance marker in the win.

Cold team: Sarnia Sting

While the margin in their losses is close - three more one-goal decisions - the Sting remains without a win in 2010. Sarnia's last win came on New Year's Eve over the Knights, a losing streak spanning 17 games. One can't help but wonder if this team will find the win column again with only 12 games left in the schedule.

Cold player: Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals

The streaky scoring forward was held off the score-sheet and was a minus-3 in both Oshawa losses last week. Thomas, the son of former Toronto Maple Leaf Steve Thomas, is integral to the Generals' offensive attack. His team is in jeopardy of missing the playoffs with a seven game losing-streak.

Game of the week: Mississauga St. Michael's Majors vs. Windsor Spitfires, Thursday

The league's top team will host one of the top young, rising teams when the Majors head west to Windsor. The Spitfires are beginning to see the return of their injured players with the addition of Dale Mitchell in Saturday's loss to Saginaw. Mississauga is always a tough opponent and gave the Spitfires everything they could handle in their previous meeting, a 3-2 shootout win by Windsor. The Majors and Spitfires are also two of four teams vying to host the 2011 Memorial Cup tournament.

Western Hockey League

Hot team: Brandon Wheat Kings

The Memorial Cup hosts are firing on every cylinder of late, reeling off another three-consecutive wins last week. Brandon is unbeaten in regulation in its last 11 games and now tied with the Saskatoon Blades for first in the East Division and Eastern Conference standings. Brayden Schenn enjoyed a solid week with eight points in three games.

Hot player: Mitch Wahl, Spokane Chiefs

The veteran forward from Seal Beach, Calif. enjoyed another solid offensive performance. Wahl scored once and assisted on seven more for eight points in three games and a plus-1 rating. The Calgary Flames prospect is tied for eighth in league scoring with 75 points in 58 games played.

Cold team: Seattle Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds' losing streak hit an unlucky 13 games last week. Seattle dropped games against Tri-City and Moose Jaw and has failed to pick up a point in its last four games. Although still mathematically alive for the post-season, the T-birds will need a huge effort down the stretch to close the 19-point gap for the eighth spot.

Cold player: Stepan Novotny, Swift Current Broncos

The Czech forward has had difficulty transitioning the same offensive success in Swift Current after being traded from Kelowna. Novotny was among the league scoring leaders while in Kelowna, but is now without a point in his last seven games, four of which came last week. The Broncos can't afford their slumbering sniper to remain dormant if they're going to make the playoffs.

Game of the week: Vancouver Giants vs. Saskatoon Blades, Friday

The Blades host the Giants in the first of two big tests this weekend. Saskatoon is tied with Brandon atop the Eastern Conference standings and will host the Wheat Kings the following day. Vancouver remains in the second spot in the Western Conference standings due to divisional seeding. The perennial-contending Giants will have a great opportunity to measure themselves up against the opposing conference's top team. Neither team is in a position to leave points off the board down the stretch.

Québec Major Junior Hockey League

Hot team: Victoriaville Tigres

The Tigres feasted on a trio of rebuilding teams this week while running its winning-streak to five games. Victoriaville outscored the competition 25-5 last week. Goaltender Kevin Poulin picked up his 74th win as a member of the Tigres, now first on the franchise list ahead of Mathieu Garon. Victoriaville remains tied with Drummondville for first in the Telus Central Division standings.

Hot player: Brandon Hynes, Victoriaville Tigres

The sophomore sniper continued his torrid scoring pace with an eight point week. Hynes scored five times and added three assists with a plus-4 rating in three games, including the game-winner in Sunday's 7-1 romp over Chicoutimi. Teammates Joel Champagne and Tomas Kubalik also enjoyed eight point weeks for the surging Tigres.

Cold team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar

The rebuilding Drakkar found themselves on the wrong side of some one-sided affairs last week. Baie-Comeau was outscored 28-8 in three losses and has not won in its last seven contests. In spite of the losses, the playoffs remain an attainable goal this season, but they are fading quickly at this rate.

Cold player: Nathan Dunnett, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Dunnett's week got off on the wrong foot when he came in relief of Simon Giroux in the first period of a 13-3 loss to Victoriaville. Neither of the Drakkar goaltending tandem was able to recover from that game. Dunnett allowed 17 goals on 69 shots through parts of three losses for a ghastly .754 save percentage.

Game of the week: Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. Victoriaville Tigres, Wednesday

The top two teams in the Telus Central Division meet for the first of two this week. Drummondville leads the season series with a record of 4-2. Both teams are red hot, as the Tigres won their last five while the Voltigeurs are winners of seven of their last 10. Victoriaville's offence is on fire, but could meet their match in goaltender Jake Allen who is also hot of late. The two have nearly identical records and are tied with 80 points. The winner of these two games will get a much needed boost in determining the division crown.