Edmonton Oilers prospect Olivier Roy became only the sixth QMJHL goalie to reach the century mark in wins last week. He will look to add to his win totals in the headline game of the week against the Moncton Wildcats. Meanwhile, several other huge matchups headline the week of games ahead.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Kootenay Ice
The Ice and Portland Winterhawks each possess a four-game winning streak. Kootenay gets the nod since three of those wins came last week, as opposed to two for Portland. The Ice beat Edmonton twice and Red Deer in their three wins. Kootenay is now just four points back of Saskatoon for first in the Eastern Conference standings.
Cold team: Brandon Wheat Kings
Last year's MasterCard Memorial Cup hosts have fallen on hard times early this season. The Wheat Kings' losing streak has now hit nine games after the team started 4-0 this season. Brandon is tied for last in league standings with eight points and has not won since a convincing 7-0 win over Saskatoon on Oct. 1.
Game of the week: Saskatoon Blades vs. Red Deer Rebels, Saturday
This will be a big weekend for the Rebels who will host the Eastern Conference-leading Blades and B.C. Division leaders Vancouver on Friday. The young Rebels are proving more than capable early this season with a good balance of offence and defence. The Blades have two games in hand and have lost just twice all season. It's the second of four meetings between the two this season. Red Deer handed Saskatoon one of its two losses of the season on Oct. 15.
Canadian NHL teams' WHL prospects:
Jared Cowen, Ottawa (Spokane) - drafted ninth overall in 2009
Cowen had three assists and a plus-1 rating in two games against Calgary and Red Deer last week. The hulking defenceman fought once in each game and accumulated 16 penalty minutes. He needs to show his all-around game to impress Team Canada brass for the world junior team.
Ryan Howse, Calgary (Chilliwack) - drafted 74th overall in 2009
Howse picked up an assist in Chilliwack's 6-3 win over Brandon on Saturday. It was the only game on the schedule for the Bruins before an Albertan road trip that will see them play three times in four nights. Howse is tied for 10th in league scoring with 18 points in 10 games.
Tyler Pitlick, Edmonton (Medicine Hat) - drafted 31st overall in 2010
Pitlick is getting used to the rough and tumble ways of the WHL. He picked up one assist in wins over Moose Jaw and Prince Albert, but was tossed from the game against the Raiders after a kneeing major on Nathan Deck. He was suspended for Saturday's game against the Blades and could face further discipline.
Brad Ross, Toronto (Portland) - drafted 43rd overall in 2010
The third-year forward's production has slowed after a hot start to the season. Ross assisted on Teal Burns' game-winner over Everett on Wednesday then was shutout against Seattle on Friday. Ross has just three assists in his last six games after picking up eight points in his first five games.
Max Reinhart, Calgary (Kootenay) - drafted 64th overall in 2010
Although the Ice has continued its winning ways, Reinhart's production has dipped considerably in the last few weeks. Reinhart was held pointless in three games last week. He has been held pointless in five of the past seven games.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Val-d'Or Foreurs
The Foreurs take over the spot previously owned by the Québec Remparts, who finally lost their first game in regulation to Victoriaville on Friday. Val-d'Or trounced their close rival in Rouyn-Noranda in back-to-back games to extend its winning streak to three games. The Foreurs are unbeaten in regulation in their last five games.
Cold team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The Drakkar extended their losing streak by another three games with losses to Moncton, Chicoutimi and Shawinigan last week. Baie-Comeau hasn't won since the second game of the season, a streak lasting 14 games. It's a long road back to respectability for the Drakkar.
Game of the week: Acadie-Bathurst Titan vs. Moncton Wildcats, Friday
Top spot in the Maritimes Division will be on the line when the Titan travels south to Moncton. The Titan is riding the wave of the league's top goaltender who established an impressive mark last week. The Wildcats are finding ways to avoid rebuilding after winning the league title twice in the last four years. Moncton will look for a bounce back after losing to league-leading Québec on Sunday.
Canadian NHL teams' QMJHL prospects:
Louis Leblanc, Montreal (Montreal) - drafted 18th overall in 2009
Leblanc helped lead the Juniors to three big wins over P.E.I., Victoriaville and Drummondville. He scored twice and assisted on another goal for three points in three games with a plus-2 rating. The Juniors now trail Drummondville by a point for top spot in the Telus West Division.
Olivier Roy, Edmonton (Acadie-Bathurst) - drafted 133rd overall in 2009
Roy continues to provide the Titan with the stellar goaltending they thought to have acquired this summer. The front-runner for Canada's starting role at the world juniors stopped 82 of 88 shots in three games for a .932 save percentage. He picked up his 100th career win over his former team, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, to become only the sixth goalie in league history to reach the century mark. Roy was the third fastest goalie to reach this feat.
Jakub Culek, Ottawa (Rimouski) - drafted 76th overall in 2010
Rimouski's offence sputtered last week. Culek was held pointless and a minus-5 in two losses to Drummondville and Victoriaville. The Océanic, who looked to have one of the most potent offensive attacks in the league, were held to a goal in two games and outscored 10-1.
Steven Anthony, Vancouver (Saint John) - drafted 187th overall in 2009
Anthony picked up one assist in Saint John's 5-3 win over Halifax on Saturday but was held off the score sheet in the Sea Dogs' 5-1 loss to Acadie-Bathurst on Friday. Anthony is tied for fifth on the Sea Dogs in scoring.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Saginaw Spirit
The Spirit has soared to the top of the league standings thanks to another three-game winning streak. Saginaw defeated Mississauga on Friday in last week's game of the week then beat Belleville 5-3. The Spirit has not lost in regulation since a 2-1 loss in Guelph on Oct. 15.
Cold team: Erie Otters
The Otters' struggles continued as Erie now finds itself in the basement of the Western Conference standings. Erie was outscored 10-4 in two losses to Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury last week. The Otters haven't won since Oct. 8, a streak that now spans seven games.
Game of the week: Saginaw Spirit vs. Owen Sound Attack, Friday
The league's top two teams will meet for the first of four times this season. Saginaw enters the week with one more point than Owen Sound, but the Attack holds a game in hand. Owen Sound's rise to the top of the standings has been impressive this season and was less anticipated than the start by the Spirit. Although early, this matchup could be a Western Conference finals preview.
Canadian NHL teams' OHL prospects:
Jarred Tinordi, Montreal (London) - drafted 22nd overall in 2010
The rock-steady defenceman had another solid, but unspectacular week. Tinordi was held pointless (he has two assists in eight games this season) and was a plus-1. The son of former NHL defenceman Mark Tinordi was on the ice when the Oshawa Generals scored the overtime winner on Friday.
Greg McKegg, Toronto (Erie) - drafted 62nd overall in 2010
McKegg is now without a goal in three games, the first time he hasn't found the back of the net in consecutive games since the first two games of the season. He assisted on three goals in two contests over Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, but was a minus-3. McKegg is tied for second in league scoring with 22 points in 13 games, two back of Owen Sound's Garrett Wilson.
Alex Friesen, Vancouver (Niagara) - drafted 172nd overall in 2010
Friesen maintained his point-per-game pace with a goal and two assists in three games last week. The IceDogs forward remains tied for 10th in league scoring with an impressive 17 points in 13 games.
