Chirps from Center Ice

Them Pigs are hot!

The Rockford IceHogs are the top team in the Week 4 AHL Power Rankings this week. They are tops in the ultra competitive Western Conference, where three points separate fifth to thirteenth.

Biggest riser this week are your Hamilton Bulldogs, up twelve spots to fourteenth this week.

Biggest faller this week are the Hartford Wolf Pack, a team decimated by call ups this week. Such is life in the AHL.

After the jump if you just happened to the blog without a link from somewhere, are the Rankings…

Rank	Team	Last Week	Comment	This Week
1		5th (+4)	The Hogs are on a tear. Tops in the West. Beat Toronto, Charlotte and Texas this weekend.	Host CHA Thu., @ MIL Fri., Host GR Sun.
2		7th (+5)	Monarchs could have overtaken the top spot in the rankings but the loss to St. John’s Saturday halts that.	Home and home with PRO Fri., Sat.
3		8th (+5)	Ads decimate the Phantoms Friday, smack the Penguins Saturday then ran out of gas vs. the desperate Bears Sunday.	@ ALB Fri., BRI Sat., HER Sun.
4		1st (-3)	Beaten by their own game Fri. in Binghamton (a SOL) and at home Sat. v. Norfolk. Two this week w/ rival Bears.	Home and home w/ HER Fri. & Sat.
5		3rd (-2)	Mirror the Penguins this week in losing ins a shootout Fri. then in regulation Sat.	@ ADK Wed., Host HFD Fri. & Sat.
6		13th (+6)	Pound Utica Wednesday, skate past the depleted Wolf Pack Friday then lay and egg Saturday vs. the Pirates.	Host SYR Wed., NOR Fri., @ ADK Sat.
7		12th (+5)	Not a bad weekend for the defending champs. 4 out of a possible 6.	Host CHA Wed., @ LE Fri, RFD Sun.
8		11th (+3)	A 4-2 win for the Ads in their only game of the week Saturday.	Host TEX Wed., RFD Fri., @ IA Sun.
9		No change	Hand the Penguins their first loss in a shootout Friday, Adirondack comes in and humbles them 3-1 Saturday. Was the tank on E Saturday at 7:05?	@ ADK Fri., Host SYR Sat.
10		15th (+5)	Unreal turnaround for the Checkers this week. Both goalies called up due to injuries. John Muse steps up and shuts out the champs, then the Wolves.	@ GR Wed., RFD Thu., SA Sat.
11		10th (-1)	A split with the Heat in B.C. this weekend.	Host GR Fri.
12		6th (-6)	Beat the Barons Wednesday then lost to the Ads and the white-hot Hogs. A bump in the road or are the Stars not ready to run with the big dogs?	@ MIL Wed., IA Fri. & Sat.
13		4th (-9)	Marlies tumble this week with losses to Rockford and Rochester.	Host RFD Wed., RCH Sat., @ HAM Sun. — @ HAM Fri.
14		26th (+12)	Dogs at the top of the North division. Friday’s game v. the Marlies is for first place.	Host TOR Fri., ABB Sat.
15		17th (+2)	Crunch really should have dismantled both opponents this weekend. Only did so to the Sound Tigers Sat. Needed a shootout Friday to get past the Comets in Utica.	@ ALB Wed., Host RCH Fri., @ BNG Sat.
16		18th (+2)	Lose in OT to Hamilton Fri., then beat the Marlies again Saturday.	@ SYR Fri.
17		2nd (-15)	Wolf Pack decimated by call ups this week. Results showed in a 4-2 loss Wednesday to Portland, a 4-3 loss in Albany Sat. They get by the Hershey Bears Saturday.	Host BRI Wed., @ SPR Fri. & Sat.
18		16th (-3)	Heartbreaking loss in the final minute vs. the Griffins Sunday. Get the Stars twice this weekend, should be a fine measuring stick.	Host TEX Fri. & Sat., MIL Sun.
19		20th (+1)	Two good wins for the P-Bruins this week. Are in the mix early.	Home and home with MCH Fri. & Sat.
20		21st (+1)	Beat by the elite Monarchs Wed. then rough up the once elite Falcons Sat.	Host BRI Fri., STJ Sat.
21		19th (-2)	My guess is that splits will be the theme of the season for the Heat. In the ultra competitive Western Conference, will it be enough? Time will tell.	@ UTI Wed., Fri. HAM Sat.
22		29th (+7)	Pirates getting a launch up the Rankings on account of beating the Wolf Pack and Devils this week.	Host STJ Wed., Fri.
23		22nd (-1)	Bears lose to a depleted Hartford club then beat a weary Norfolk team, playing its third in three.	Home and home w/ WBS Fri., Sat. Host NOR Sun.
24		23rd (-1)	Split with the Monarchs this weekend then ran out of gas against the Bruins Sunday.	@ POR Wed., Fri., WOR Sat.
25		No change	Blanked by Norfolk Friday then travel to Binghamton Saturday and rough up the B-Sens.	Host SPR Wed., BNG Fri., ALB Sat.
26		24th (-2)	The so-so start continues for the Barons 10 games in. A loss to the Stars Wed., then a split with the Rampage Fri. and Sat.	Host CHI Fri. & Sat.
27		No change	Split with the Barons this weekend at home.	Host CHA Sat.
28		14th (-14)	Terrible losses this week for the Wolves, two to divisional rivals.	@ OKC Fri. & Sat.
29		28th (-1)	Sound Tigers get shut out in Syracuse and a goaltender in his first AHL start.	@ HFD Wed., WOR Fri., Host NOR Sat.
30		No change	It’s going to be a long year in the Mohawk Valley. Comets are 0-5-0-1 to start the season.	Host ABB Wed. & Fri.

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Think you are too low? I ranked the Penguins too high, didn’t I? Let’s discuss in comments!