This past week in the WHL, the league announced its roster for the Subway Super Series, the undefeated Kelowna Rockets finally fell and the U.S. Division is up for grabs. The league standings tell you part of the story, here’s the rest of it.
The Rockets’ first loss
If you had the Tri-City Americans in the “who will beat Kelowna first” poll you can come and collect your cash prize. The high-flying Rockets finally came up short this past week, losing 5–2 to the Americans in Kennewick. The Rockets couldn’t solve Winnipeg Jets prospect Eric Comrie who shut them down with 30 saves.
How good was the Rockets start? They have more wins than the Portland Winterhawks and Seattle Thunderbirds—two teams that are supposed to be in the mix out West—combined, and their 58 goals are second only to the Brandon Wheat Kings. They continue to dominate on the power play where they lead the league with a 32.3 percent clip and have scored 20 goals with the extra skater. They’re getting scoring from up and down their lineup as Nick Merkley, Tyson Baillie and Rourke Chartier are all in the league’s top 10 scorers.
As great as the start is, you have to wonder if Kelowna fans are somewhat tempered in their excitement. Kelowna has turned in two great regular seasons in a row yet failed to get to the finals come playoff time. Will this year be different?
Separation out East
The Medicine Hat Tigers continue to lead the Eastern Conference with a 9-1-1-0 record and have a five-point lead in the Central Division over the Edmonton Oil Kings. With the goaltending they’re getting it doesn’t look like the Tigers are going to drop in the standings any time soon. Marek Langhamer and Nick Schneider are the top two rated goalies in the WHL and Cole Sanford is tied with Kamloops’ Cole Ully as the league’s top scorer with 20 points.
The Brandon Wheat Kings are one point behind Medicine Hat in the conference standings and are lighting it up offensively. Kelowna’s 58 goals out West is certainly impressive, but that’s one less than the Wheat Kings have managed in the same number of games. Brandon’s week was highlighted by a 10–3 thumping of the Portland Winterhawks who continue to limp through the season.
Edmonton and the Calgary Hitmen are third and fourth in the standings and look like they’ll be in the mix as the season moves forward. Moose Jaw and Swift Current are hanging on as well but after that there is a big drop-off in the standings. Can Regina, Red Deer or Prince Albert get into the race?
The wide-open U.S. Division
Before the season the Portland Winterhawks were the consensus pick to win the U.S. Division and the Seattle Thunderbirds were hands-down the second best team. Both squads find themselves at the bottom of the U.S. standings and are looking up at the Tri-City Americans and the Everett Silvertips.
Tri City plays tough defence and is back-stopped by one of the best junior goalies in Eric Comrie, who has not disappointed this year with a .924 save percentage. If the Americans can get consistent scoring all year and don’t wear Comrie out there is no reason to think they can’t win the division—something that seemed impossible to start the year.
On top of their great start, the Americans may have introduced the coolest schedule pen ever.
Everett has yet to lose a game in regulation and like Tri-City, is nearly impossible to score on. Head coach Kevin Constantine is known for his stingy defensive style and only Medicine Hat has allowed fewer goals than the Silvertips. They are one of the tougher teams to play against and are scratching out wins with just enough scoring. Nikita Scherbak has settled in nicely, picking up a point in six of the seven games he’s played with Everett. What will happen when he gets even more comfortable with his new teammates?
Speaking of Portland, you have to think their 10–3 blowout loss at Brandon was rock bottom for the Winterhawks. They have allowed a league-worst 59 goals and tried to help their goaltending situation by picking up 20-year-old Bolton Pouliot from Kamloops this week. He got a rough introduction to his new digs as he came into the Brandon game in relief and gave up six goals.
Team WHL announced
The WHL released its roster for the Subway Super Series this week. The WHL will play a touring Russian team in Saskatoon on Nov. 10 and in Brandon on Nov. 11. The roster includes the usual suspects but is short on forwards and for some reason the league’s two leading scorers—Medicine Hat’s Sanford and Kamloops’s Ully—are not on it. Will they be added?
Player of the week
Joe Hicketts, Defence, Victoria Royals: The Detroit Red Wings prospect paced the Royals during their Central Division swing this week, scoring once and adding six assists.
Runners up: Jayce Hawryluk scored four goals in Brandon’s win over Portland. Parker Bowles has given Tri-City some much needed scoring and picked up two goals and four points in two big Americans wins this week.
2015 NHL Draft tracker
Jansen Harkins, C, Prince George Cougars: Harkins finds himself sixth in the WHL scoring race and continues to set up his teammates with his 14 assists.
Ryan Gropp, RW, Seattle Thunderbirds: Gropp had a seven-game point streak snapped on Saturday. During the streak he had four goals and four assists and makes up one of the league’s best lines with Mathew Barzal.
Mathew Barzal, C, Seattle Thunderbirds: Gropp’s linemate saw his own five-game scoring streak end earlier in the week but started a new one Saturday night with a goal. After scoring 14 goals last year he already has six this season.
Alec Baer, C, Vancouver Giants: The Minnesota product notched his first WHL hat trick this weekend with three goals against the Prince George Cougars. He now has five on the season with his three assists.
Frosh Week
Brandon’s Russian import Ivan Provorov is living up to the hype. He leads all rookies in scoring with 12 points, five of which are goals, and he is fifth in defencemen scoring and is one more weapon the Wheat Kings have in their arsenal