CHL Coast to Coast: Contenders climb standings
(Photos: Bjorkstrand – Kelvin Harrison, Ritchie – Terry Wilson/OHL Images)By Josh Sweetland/CHL
With February upon us, several teams across the CHL are feeling the heat as remaining games on the schedule dwindle and remaining points become all the more precious. Several teams have emerged as MasterCard Memorial Cup contenders, stringing together lengthy winning streaks as we inch closer to the national championship slated for May 21-31 in Quebec City.
Here’s a look at some of the storylines across the CHL this week and a look at how things are shaping up across the country.
WHL:
Bjorkstrand named CHL Player of the Week: A key contributor for the Portland Winterhawks on their recent eight-game winning streak, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Oliver Bjorkstrand was named CHL Player of the Week. The Danish forward recorded four goals and five assists for nine points in two games last week as Portland defeated Kamloops and Everett. Bjorkstrand is third in WHL scoring and recorded 30 of his 70 points this season in the month of January with 14 goals and 16 assists in 12 games.
Cream of the crop: The WHL’s best are heating up. The Portland Winterhawks (9-1-0-0), Brandon Wheat Kings (8-1-0-1), Victoria Royals (8-1-1-0), Medicine Hat Tigers (7-2-0-1), Calgary Hitmen (7-2-0-1), Kelowna Rockets (7-2-0-1) and Everett Silvertips (7-3-0-0) have all been dynamite over their past 10 games, creating some distance between themselves and the middle of the pack in recent weeks. With the cream rising to the top, the identity of the teams who will benefit from home ice advantage in the first round of the WHL Playoffs becomes increasingly more clear.
Provorov leads rookie scoring: Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman Ivan Provorov continues his outstanding season, leading all WHL rookies in scoring with 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in 45 games. The draft eligible Russian rearguard who represented his country in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship stayed hot last weekend, collecting five assists in a pair of victories over the Moose Jaw Warriors. Described by NHL Central Scouting as “a complete defenceman with one of the best first passes in the WHL”, Provorov was the 10th ranked skater on the NHL Central Scouting Service’s midterm rankings released on January 20.
OHL:
Greyhounds on 10-game run: The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are powering their way up the OHL’s Western Conference standings. Having won ten straight games, the Hounds have outscored opponents 55-30 during the streak and have received strong contributions from recent acquisitions in NHL first round picks Nick Ritchie (Anaheim) and Anthony DeAngelo (Tampa Bay) along with stay-at-home blueliner Connor Boland. The Greyhounds hit the road this weekend with visits to Niagara, Erie and Kitchener.
Tight scoring race: The OHL scoring derby continues its torrid pace. Three players in Mitchell Marner (London Knights), Dylan Strome (Erie Otters) and Christian Dvorak (London Knights) are separated by just three points. Marner leads the CHL in scoring with 35 goals and 58 assists for 93 points in 45 games. Strome trails close behind with 33 goals and 59 assists for 92 points in 48 games, and Dvorak sits in third with 35 goals, 55 assists and 90 points in 47 games. Marner and Strome both competed in the recent 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in St. Catharines and are eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft. Dvorak was a second round pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2014.
Butler joins 600 win club: Long-time North Bay Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler picked up a milestone victory on Sunday as the Troops defeated the Niagara IceDogs 3-2. Butler becomes the fifth coach in OHL history to win 600 games, trailing Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton, Larry Mavety and Belleville Bulls coach George Burnett on the OHL all-time wins list. The 19-year OHL coaching veteran boasts a career record of 600-513-65-88 and is a two-time Eastern Conference Champion. He leads all active OHL coaches in games with 1266 spent behind the bench in his career. Across the CHL, the 600-win list of coaches also includes the WHL all-time greats Ken Hodge, Lorne Molleken, and current coaches Don Hay of the Kamloops Blazers, and Don Nachbaur of the Spokane Chiefs who won his 600th game in September.
QMJHL:
Fitzpatrick named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week: Sherbrooke Phoenix rookie goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick has been named the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week after he posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a 1.00 goals-against-average and a .966 save percentage last week. The St. John’s, NF, native turned 17 years-old last month and was selected fourth overall by the Phoenix in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft. He holds a 10-5-0-2 record with a 3.10 goals-against-average and .894 save percentage this season.
Playoff positions on the line: With 16 of the QMJHL’s 18 clubs able to qualify for a playoff spot, the race is on to secure a position heading into the final two months of the season. Both the Gatineau Olympiques and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are on the outside looking in, with Gatineau trailing both Chicoutimi and Cape Breton by five points while Acadie-Bathurst sits 13 points behind.
Unlike the OHL and WHL, the QMJHL playoffs consist of the first through 16th ranked teams across the entire league being seeded off against one another regardless of conference or division. It will be a race to the finish for the top of the pack with the top-five teams separated by just seven points.
Garland, Wildcats leading the way in Maritimes Division: QMJHL leading scorer Conor Garland and the Moncton Wildcats are doing their best to tighten their grip on first place in the QMJHL’s Maritimes Division. Currently holding a ten point lead over the Saint John Sea Dogs, the Wildcats are in the hunt for their first division title since 2009 when Mark Barberio, David Savard, Simon Jodoin and Brandon Gormley provided dynamic offense from the blueline. They have the most wins in the QMJHL with a record of 33-14-0-3, led by Garland’s 24 goals, 63 assists and 87 points in 50 games.
CHL on Sportsnet and TVA Sports:
A pair of QMJHL matchups are featured this week beginning with the Shawinigan Cataractes at Quebec Remparts on Friday Night Hockey (February 6, 7:30 PM Eastern – Sportsnet East, Pacific, ONE, and TVA Sports) followed by a Sunday afternoon battle between the host Remparts and the visiting Drummondville Voltigeurs (February 8, 3:00 PM Eastern – Sportsnet 360 and TVA Sports)