Olivier Roy’s grip on the starting job on Canada’s world junior squad is a little less tight after a disastrous week in both league and Subway Super Series play.
Roy was uncharacteristically poor, which usually means a bounce-back performance is in the makings this week.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Kootenay Ice
Kootenay’s transition to a new coach this season has been seamless. Former alumnus Kris Knoblauch has led the Ice to sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Kootenay won all three games last week, bringing its winning-streak to four games while registering a point in five straight. The Ice are just three points back of Portland for first overall.
Cold team: Calgary Hitmen
The Hitmen have done a complete 180 after winning the league championship last season. Calgary sports the league’s worst record with just nine points in the first 20 games.
The Hitmen’s last win came on Oct. 16, a losing streak spanning 12 games. The gap on the last playoff spot is widening, as Calgary now trails by 12 points.
Game of the week: Saskatoon Blades vs. Kootenay Ice, Friday
Two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams will meet in their first of four contests when the Ice host the Blades. Saskatoon is beginning to re-assert its dominance after two disappointing losses to Regina and Red Deer in late October.
The Ice boast the league’s third-best goals for-goals against ratio at 77-54.
Neither team can blink however as Red Deer is just two points back of Kootenay and one point up on Saskatoon.
Canadian NHL teams’ WHL prospects:
Jared Cowen, Ottawa (Spokane) – drafted ninth overall in 2009
Cowen’s Chiefs climbed back into a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference with two wins over Edmonton and Tri-City last week. The Senators’ first-rounder assisted on Levko Koper’s goal in a 5-0 rout of the Americans on Saturday.
Ryan Howse, Calgary (Chilliwack) – drafted 74th overall in 2009
Howse’s numbers are beginning to dip in the month of November after a red-hot start to the season. He still picked up four points in four games last week, but was a minus-2 as his team lost three of four.
Tyler Pitlick, Edmonton (Medicine Hat) – drafted 31st overall in 2010
Pitlick scored his first game-winning goal in his WHL career during Medicine Hat’s busy week. The American forward scored the decisive goal in Friday’s 6-3 win over Moose Jaw and assisted on another in the Tigers’ 6-4 win over Regina on Saturday.
Brad Ross, Toronto (Portland) – drafted 43rd overall in 2010
The Winterhawks are still receiving steady production from Ross even with Niederreiter back in the fold. Ross had a goal and one assist in three games including the winner over Regina on Wednesday.
Max Reinhart, Calgary (Kootenay) – drafted 64th overall in 2010
Reinhart’s point production hasn’t been as steady in recent weeks, but it hasn’t mattered as the team keeps on winning.
The third-year forward’s only point came on Jesse Ismond’s game-winner over Calgary on Thursday. Reinhart was pointless in Kootenay’s next two games.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Lewiston MAINEiacs
The 2006 champs are back in the winner’s circle this season. Lewiston rattled off its seventh- and eighth-consecutive wins after dismantling the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in back-to-back games. The MAINEiacs’ last loss came on Oct. 22 in Gatineau.
Lewiston is now just two points back of the Québec Remparts for first in the Telus East Division standings.
Cold team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The league’s last-place team failed to secure its second win of the not-so-young season after being outscored 9-3 in back-to-back games in Lewiston.
Baie-Comeau’s losing streak is now 23 games while it has just eight points to show for its first 25 games this season. It won’t get any easier with games against Montreal and Gatineau this week.
Game of the week: Lewiston MAINEiacs vs. Québec Remparts, Friday
This will be a huge week for the MAINEiacs. Lewiston will play a rested Remparts team that had nothing left in the tank by the end of the weekend, as evidenced by their 6-0 loss in Saint John.
Lewiston will play Québec twice, with a game against red-hot Shawinigan sandwiched in between. It will be a tall order for the MAINEiacs who play three road games in three nights while the Remparts’ only two games are against the MAINEiacs on Friday and Sunday.
Canadian NHL teams’ QMJHL prospects:
Louis Leblanc, Montreal (Montreal) – drafted 18th overall in 2009
Leblanc was either suffering through the effects of his upper-body injury that saw him miss the first game of the Subway Super Series or finally fell into a slump.
He did not record a point in back-to-back games against Cape Breton and Gatineau, the first time that has happened all season. He wasn’t completely shutout as he picked up an assist in Montreal’s 5-1 win over Drummondville on Sunday.
Olivier Roy, Edmonton (Acadie-Bathurst) – drafted 133rd overall in 2009
Roy will need some bigger performances to impress Hockey Canada’s management.
The front-runner for the starting job at the world juniors followed up a poor outing in the Subway Super Series by allowing 10 goals against on 83 shots in two losses. Although he’ll get a long look at the Canadian selection camp, time is running out to showcase his abilities in league play.
Jakub Culek, Ottawa (Rimouski) – drafted 76th overall in 2010
The slumping Czech found his way back on the score sheet. Culek assisted on Jarrad Struthers’ third-period goal in Rimouski’s 6-5 loss to Cape Breton. Culek has just three assists in his last 13 outings.
Steven Anthony, Vancouver (Saint John) – drafted 187th overall in 2009
Anthony scored once against Acadie-Bathurst and assisted on two more against Québec. The veteran forward now has 20 points in 18 games, but might need to work on his face-offs as he went three-for-15 on the draw.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Kitchener Rangers
The Rangers boast the league’s longest winning-streak with six straights wins. Kitchener defeated Brampton and Plymouth in a shortened week. The Rangers are beginning to realize their immense potential and making ground on Saginaw and Owen Sound.
The Rangers are just four points back of the Spirit for first in the Western Conference.
Cold team: Peterborough Petes
The disastrous season for the Petes has continued spiraling downwards. Peterborough lost all three games to Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa and Oshawa last week to extend the losing streak to seven games. The only positive is that they finally picked up a point in an overtime loss to the Greyhounds.
The Petes’ last win came on Oct. 28 and if the playoffs began today, Peterborough would be spectators.
Game of the week: Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors vs. Owen Sound Attack, Saturday
The Majors were a close second for the league’s hot team with an 11-game regulation unbeaten streak. Mississauga passed its last test in last week’s game-of-the-week with a 3-1 win over Niagara. The Majors lead the league in points with 35 while the Attack is second in the Western Conference with 29 points.
Owen Sound needs to beat a top team to assert itself among the league’s elite. The Attack should have a lot to prove in this game.
Canadian NHL teams’ OHL prospects:
Jarred Tinordi, Montreal (London) – drafted 22nd overall in 2010
No change in the stats-column for the hulking defenceman who has two assists this season. Tinordi was given seven minutes in penalties in London’s 8-1 win over Barrie on Friday after instigating a fight with Stephen Gaskin.
Tinordi was also assessed a 10-minute misconduct on the play.
Greg McKegg, Toronto (Erie) – drafted 62nd overall in 2010
McKegg helped the Otters climb out of the basement of the Western Conference standings as the team won two of three. The Maple Leafs’ third-round pick scored the first goal then assisted on the winner in Erie’s 2-1 win over London on Saturday.
He also scored in the Otters’ 5-2 win over Guelph on Wednesday.
Alex Friesen, Vancouver (Niagara) – drafted 172nd overall in 2010
Friesen had a goal and one assist in three games with a plus-1 rating last week. He scored the game-winner in Niagara’s 5-4 win over Saginaw on Thursday.
Friesen has 23 points in 21 games this season.
