Five players left their mark before departing for the Canadian world junior selection camp.
Chiefs defenceman Jared Cowen had an oustanding week, as he tied his career-high in goals, while a notable American forward may have served notice after his surprising omission on USA's selection camp.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Windsor Spitfires
The back-to-back champions are every bit in the race for top spot in the Western Conference this season. Windsor is riding a five-game winning-streak in spite of being without captain Ryan Ellis and Zack Kassian, who are away at the Canadian world junior selection camp. The Spitfires have won eight of their last 10 games and trail Saginaw by only five points for top spot in the conference.
Cold team: Barrie Colts
It's going to be much tougher for the Colts to break out of their 15-game winless streak now that Barrie traded veterans Peter Di Salvo, Darren Archibald and Dalton McGrath last week. Rumours persist that the Colts will continue its rebuild by trading captain Dalton Prout in the near future. The Colts have a league-worst 11 points in 31 games.
Game of the week: Ottawa 67's vs. Oshawa Generals, Sunday
The Ottawa 67's are one of the league's hottest teams with eight wins in their last 10 games and a regulation unbeaten streak of eight. Ottawa leads Oshawa by six points for first place in the East Division heading into the week. The 67's saw several of their players omitted for world junior camps, meaning they will carry their full lineup through the holiday season. Oshawa, meanwhile, acquired Di Salvo from Barrie, which will help them compete in the Eastern Conference.
Canadian NHL teams' OHL prospects:
Jarred Tinordi, Montreal (London) - drafted 22nd overall in 2010
Tinordi picked up his third point of the season the same week he was left off USA Hockey's selection camp roster for the upcoming world junior tournament. He recorded an assist against Erie, but was a combined minus-3 in three games.
Greg McKegg, Toronto (Erie) - drafted 62nd overall in 2010
McKegg's breakout season wasn't enough to earn an invitation to Hockey Canada's world junior selection camp, but the forward kept his torrid play with three goals and four assists in three games last week. McKegg is fourth in league scoring with 50 points in 33 games.
Alex Friesen, Vancouver (Niagara) - drafted 172nd overall in 2010
Friesen picked up two goals and two assists in three games last week with a plus-6 rating. The fourth-year forward is on pace for his best season with 32 points in 31 games. He had 60 points last season in 60 games.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Spokane Chiefs
The Chiefs are beginning to make amends for a sluggish start with a strong November and December. Spokane is riding a five-game winning-streak and is unbeaten in regulation in the last nine games. The Chiefs are tied for third in the Western Conference standings with the Tri-City Americans with 38 points.
Cold team: Prince George Cougars
The resurgent Cougars are proving just how tight the Western Conference standings are this season. Prince George had overtaken Vancouver for first in the B.C. Division and was second in the conference before this five-game losing-streak. Now the Cougars are in a tie for sixth place, but only two points back of the Giants for first in the division.
Game of the week: Red Deer Rebels vs. Kootenay Ice, Friday
This will be a big final weekend for these two teams who will face each other in back-to-back nights. The Ice holds a slim, one point-lead over the Rebels for first in the Central Division and second in the Eastern Conference heading into the week. Both teams have won five of their last 10 games and have stumbled a little bit after their hot starts. With the race so tight between the two teams, it should provide for two heated games before the holiday break.
Canadian NHL teams' WHL prospects:
Jared Cowen, Ottawa (Spokane) - drafted ninth overall in 2009
Cowen tied his career-best output for goals in a season with his eighth in Spokane's 3-2 shootout win over the Vancouver Giants on Friday. His power-play goal was the game-tying goal, which allowed the Chiefs the opportunity to go to overtime. Cowen is competing for a spot on Canada's world junior team.
Ryan Howse, Calgary (Chilliwack) - drafted 74th overall in 2009
Howse went into Canada's selection camp on a hot streak with three goals in his final two games. He had not scored in his three previous games, but helped lead the Bruins to a win over Lethbridge in his final outing.
Tyler Pitlick, Edmonton (Medicine Hat) - drafted 31st overall in 2010
Pitlick was overlooked by the Americans for the world junior selection camp after leaving college hockey to join the Tigers this season. He had a goal and five assists with a plus-6 in three games. Pitlick's teammate in Medicine Hat, Emerson Etem, did earn a camp invite.
Brad Ross, Toronto (Portland) - drafted 43rd overall in 2010
Ross helped lead his team out of a mid-season slump by scoring the game-winning goal in Portland's 4-1 win over Prince George Friday. He had an assist in the Winterhawks' 9-3 loss on Wednesday. He is also at Canada's world junior camp.
Max Reinhart, Calgary (Kootenay) - drafted 64th overall in 2010
Reinhart was simply on fire last week. The Ice forward scored four times against Prince Albert on Wednesday, the first time he has scored more than two in a game in his career. He added another two goals and one assist for seven points in four games last week.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Québec Remparts
The Remparts rebuilt its gap on Lewiston for top spot in the Telus East Division standings with a solid week. Québec won all three of their games and extended its winning-streak to five with wins over Val-d'Or, Halifax and Moncton. The Remparts are just two points back of Saint John for the overall lead in points.
Cold team: Val-d'Or Foreurs
The Foreurs fell two games below .500 after another three losses last week, including two against Rimouski. Val-d'Or's last win came on Dec. 1 in a 4-3 overtime win over Montreal. The team is riding a five-game winless streak and will have just two opportunities, against Victoriaville and Gatineau, to climb back in the win column before the break.
Game of the week: Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. Québec Remparts, Friday
Two of the league's top teams will provide fireworks in the final week of the season before the holiday break. Drummondville trails Montreal by six points for first in the Telus West Division standings and can't afford not to keep pace given the league's playoff structure. The Remparts, meanwhile, are back in control with eight wins in their last 10 games. This will be the first of four meetings between the two teams this season.
Canadian NHL teams' QMJHL prospects:
Louis Leblanc, Montreal (Montreal) - drafted 18th overall in 2009
Leblanc was unable to break out of his slump prior to departing for Canada's camp. He was held pointless in both games last week against Shawinigan and Rouyn-Noranda. Leblanc has just one goal in his last five league games.
Olivier Roy, Edmonton (Acadie-Bathurst) - drafted 133rd overall in 2009
Roy left a good impression in his final league game as he left for the Canadian selection camp. He stopped 26-of-28 shots in Acadie-Bathurst's 3-2 win over Victoriaville on Thursday. Roy has a 2.95 goals against average and .905 save percentage this season.
Jakub Culek, Ottawa (Rimouski) - drafted 76th overall in 2010
Culek scored his first goal in his past 23 games when he scored the winner against Val-d'Or Friday. Culek has just five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 31 games this season.
Steven Anthony, Vancouver (Saint John) - drafted 187th overall in 2009
Anthony kept his point-per-game pace in Saint John's busy week. He had two goals and four assists in four games with a plus-4. He scored the first goal and insurance marker in Saint John's 4-1 win over the P.E.I. Rocket.
