Chirps from Center Ice

I think we have seriously underestimated the Manchester Monarchs. Best team in the league points wise? Check. Best record in the AHL and best points percentage?

Um, no. That belongs to the Springfield Falcons, who have four games in hand on the Monarchs. Regardless, these two teams are the class of the AHL at the Christmas break.

Two other minor things. First, the St. John’s IceCaps were off this week with no games so their position is frozen at 9th. Finally, January features a bunch of Monday games, which I have usually waited for their conclusion to drop the rankings. For now, at least, the rankings period will run from Monday to Sunday, instead of Monday to Monday.

Biggest risers this week are your Iowa Wild, up six to 17th this week. Biggest fall belongs to the Providence Bruins, down ten to 25th and losing sight of the Monarchs who are running away with things.

If you didn’t link in direct, click through for the rest of the rankings….

Rank	Team	Last Week	Comment	This Week
1		4th (+3)	Monarchs are the class of the AHL at the Christmas break. No one has more points.	Host POR Thu., STJ Sat., HFD Sun.
2		3rd (+1)	Winners of 6 of 7 with points in all games, Falcons are separating themselves from the pesky Devils.	Host ADK Thu., SPR Sat., PRO Sun.
3		2nd (-1)	Four of six against divisional opponents this week, Griffins remain class of Midwest Division.	@ MIL Thu., RFD Fri.
4		8th (+4)	Marlies still lead the North this week with wins over Charlotte and Rochester this week.	Home and home with HAM Thu. & Fri.
5		1st (-4)	Three of six this week for the Devils against teams on Friday afternoon, they should have beat.	Host ADK Fri., POR Sat., @ BRI Sun.
6		5th (-1)	The Heat have cooled, so the Stars have closed the once large North Division lead to just two points.	Home and home with SA Fri. & Sat.
7		No change.	Not their best effort Friday vs. the Sharks, they knew it and smashed the Crunch Saturday.	Host NOR Fri., @ HER Sat.
8		13th (+5)	Four of six for the Admirals, who are keeping the Penguins and Senators on their toes.	@ WBS Fri., SYR Sat.
9		No change.	29 other AHL teams beat the snot out of each other this week, not the IceCaps.	@ WOR Fri., MCH Sat.
10		14th (+4)	Hershey has quietly won three of four and get Ryan Potulny to return to aid their struggling power play.	@ BNG Thu., Host SYR Fri., WBS Sat.
11		12th (+1)	Pirates tussled with the division leaders, beat Providence in a shootout and were obliterated by the Monarchs.	@ MCH Thu., ALB Sat.
12		16th (+4)	Not a bad weekend for Bridgeport. They kept it close with elite Manchester Saturday.	Host HFD Thu., @ SPR Sat., Host ALB Sun.
13		18th (+5)	Monsters sweep the Amerks this week. Now get two with the Wolves.	Host CHI Fri. & Sat.
14		19th (+5)	Three straight for the Comets, who have gone from AHL doormat to putting boots to you-know-where.	Host BNG Fri., HAM Sat.
15		6th (-9)	Heat all of sudden can’t solve divisional opponent Utica, whom they dropped two to this week, manage a shootout win vs. Hamilton Sunday.	Host OKC Fri. & Sat.
16		10th (-6)	Three game losing streak for the once hot ‘Hogs. Stick a fork in ‘em?	@ IA Thu., Host GR Fri.
17		23rd (+6)	Four of six for the Wild this week. Is Iowa making a push to get out of the basement?	Host RFD Thu., MIL Sun.
18		21st (+3)	Five points out of six for the Admirals, who are still 10 points behind the Griffins for the Division lead.	Host GR Thu., CHA Fri., @ IA Sun.
19		11th (-8)	Five game losing streak for the Bulldogs who are losing touch in the North and have to start thinking about Utica, closing fast.	Home and home with TOR Thu. & Fri., @ UTI Sat.
20		24th (+4)	Wolves are up and down like the stock market. This week, up. Next week? Who knows.	@ LE Fri. & Sat., Host CHA Sun.
21		26th (+5)	Sharks get four of six out of the East this weekend. Not a bad trip at all for Worcester.	Host PRO Thu., STJ Fri., @ HFD Sat.
22		20th (-2)	Spilt with the Admirals in Virginia this week.	@ SPR Thu., ALB Fri. Host PRO Sat.
23		17th (-6)	Amerks done seeing Monsters for a while. Now they head overseas to play in the Spengler Cup.	No games.
24		27th (+3)	B-Sens snap 7 game losing streak with wins against Syracuse and Albany.	Host HER Thu., @ UTI Fri.
25		10th (-10)	P-Bruins stumble this week and lose traction to the hottest team in the AHL in Manchester.	@ WOR Thu., ADK Sat., SPR Sun.
26		22nd (-4)	Four game win streak snapped by two losses to the Marlies this weekend.	@ MIL Fri., CHI Sun.
27		25th (-2)	Three losses this week for the sputtering Crunch. This could be make or break mode for this group.	@ HER Fri., Host SYR Sat.
28		29th (+1)	Shutout Texas Friday, then get walloped by the Stars the next night.	@ ABB Fri. & Sat.
29		28th (-1)	Four game losing streak. Rampage may need a Christmas Miracle this week vs. the Stars.	Home and home with TEX Fri. & Sat.
30		No change.	Pack woes continue. Losing streak is at 9.	@ BRI Thu., Host WOR Sat., @ MCH Sun.

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Your input is always welcome in the comments regarding how I did.

Merry Christmas!