There is a new number one this week but last weeks number one isn’t too far behind.
The Grand Rapids Griffins take over the top spot in the Week 15 AHL Power Rankings. It would have been the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins by default but the Griffins had a slightly better week than the Penguins did and since these are really a week to week thing, Grand Rapids gets the nod over the Penguins.
A lot of shake up this week with teams going up and down so click through the jump if you didn’t link in direct.
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| Grand Rapids lengthens its lead a bit for tops in the Central with a three game winning streak to conclude the weekend. |
Rank: 1
Last Week: 2nd
Change: Up 1
Record: 26-10-1-2 |
Last Week:
GR 1 @ RFD 3
GR 3 @ IA 2 (OT)
CHI 2 @ GR 3
CLE 0 @ GR 5 |
This Week:
vs. IA 1/25
vs. SJ 1/27
vs. STK 1/28 |
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| The two losses the Penguins had this week wasn’t because they played bad, they played great but made one mistake when ended up costing them. First team to 30 wins. |
Rank: 2
Last Week: 1st
Change: Down 1
Record: 30-9-3-0 |
Last Week:
WBS 1 @ SYR 4
WBS 5 @ HER 3
WBS 3 @ LV 5
HER 1 @ WBS 5 |
This Week:
vs. SYR 1/25
@ UTI 1/27
@ BNG 1/28 |
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| Reign retain tops in the Pacific despite getting swept by Tucson in the first part of the week. The Roadrunners got swept by the Checkers while the Reign beat San Jose and San Diego. |
Rank: 3
Last Week: 3rd
Change: n/a
Record: 21-9-6-0 |
Last Week:
ONT 2 @ TUC 3
ONT 1 @ TUC 4
SJ 2 @ ONT 7
SD 2 @ ONT 3 (SO) |
This Week:
vs. BAK 1/25
@ SA 1/27
@ SA 1/28 |
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| Devils inch closer to the pinnacle of the North Division with two wins this week. Two with the Amerks in a home and home this week. |
Rank: 4
Last Week: 9th
Change: Up 5
Record: 24-16-1-1 |
Last Week:
SYR 2 @ ALB 3 (OT)
ALB 2 @ STJ 4
ALB 2 @ STJ 1 (OT) |
This Week:
@ RCH 1/27
vs. RCH 1/28 |
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| Discount St. John’s at your peril. Solidly in a playoff spot now, with Syracuse starting to free fall and Albany not a lock, the IceCaps can surprise you. |
Rank: 5
Last Week: 8th
Change: Up 3
Record: 20-16-5-1 |
Last Week:
UTI 5 @ STJ 2
UTI 3 @ STJ 1
ALB 2 @ STJ 4
ALB 2 @ STJ 1 (OT) |
This Week:
vs. TOR 1/27
vs. TOR 1/28 |
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| Four wins in a row for Bridgeport who sweep the three in three weekend and are back in the playoff race in the Atlantic Division with Hershey’s free fall. |
Rank: 6
Last Week: 13th
Change: Up 7
Record: 22-15-1-1 |
Last Week:
BRI 5 @ SPR 3
TOR 3 @ BRI 4
RCH 1 @ BRI 3 |
This Week:
vs. PRO 1/25
vs. HFD 1/27
vs. LV 1/28 |
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| That’s six in a row for the Utica Comets. Another crack at rival Syracuse before a huge test with the Penguins coming in Friday. |
Rank: 7
Last Week: 15th
Change: Up 8
Record: 18-16-5-1 |
Last Week:
UTI 5 @ STJ 2
UTI 3 @ STJ 1
UTI 4 @ SYR 0 |
This Week:
vs. SPR 1/25
vs. WBS 1/27
vs. SYR 1/28 |
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| Sorry, the Politburo cannot take the Phantoms serious as a Calder Cup threat when they get pasted at home 9-1 by the Providence Bruins. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the AHL figures this team out. |
Rank: 8
Last Week: 7th
Change: Down 1
Record: 27-11-2-0 |
Last Week:
LV 4 @ SPR 3
WBS 3 @ LV 5
PRO 9 @ LV 1
LV 5 @ HER 1 |
This Week:
vs. BNG 1/25
@ BNG 1/27
@ BRI 1/28 |
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| Pesky Roadrunners are back! Only they get swept by a pretty bad Charlotte team after sweeping the Reign. Oh, but they are pesky and back to second in the Pacific! |
Rank: 9
Last Week: 14th
Change: Up 5
Record: 20-11-4-0 |
Last Week:
ONT 2 @ TUC 3
ONT 1 @ TUC 4
TUC 1 @ CHA 3
TUC 1 @ CHA 2 |
This Week:
vs. SD 1/25
vs. SD 1/27
vs. SD 1/28 |
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| Call it bus legs getting back in to Providence after putting nine in against the Phantoms Saturday night and losing Sunday at home to lowly Hartford. If anyone has ever traveled there, there is no easy way to get to Providence. |
Rank: 10
Last Week: 10th
Change: n/a
Record: 24-11-4-3 |
Last Week:
RCH 3 @ PRO 4
PRO 9 @ LV 1
HFD 5 @ PRO 2 |
This Week:
@ BRI 1/25
vs. HER 1/27
@ HFD 1/28 |
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| Milwaukee sees Grand Rapids start to run away a bit at the top of the Central, despite winning three of four this past week. |
Rank: 11
Last Week: 18th
Change: Up 7
Record: 23-13-2-2 |
Last Week:
MIL 3 @ CHA 0
MIL 4 @ CHA 3 (OT)
MIL 1 @ CHI 0
MIL 1 @ CHI 5 |
This Week:
vs. CLE 1/24
vs. STK 1/27
vs. SJ 1/28 |
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| B-Sens slowly edging their way towards playoff contention here in the middle of January. Can they sustain this slow momentum? We find out quick. Two heavyweights on the schedule this week. |
Rank: 12
Last Week: 11th
Change: Down 1
Record: 18-19-2-1 |
Last Week:
BNG 4 @ SYR 2
SPR 2 @ BNG 3 (OT) |
This Week:
@ LV 1/25
vs. LV 1/27
vs. WBS 1/28 |
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| After beating Wilkes-Barre last Monday, are 0-2-1 since. Are the holes which have dogged this Syracuse lineup in the face of leading the North finally getting bigger? |
Rank: 13
Last Week: 6th
Change: Down 7
Record: 20-12-3-5 |
Last Week:
WBS 1 @ SYR 4
SYR 2 @ ALB 3 (OT)
BNG 4 @ SYR 2
UTI 4 @ SYR 0 |
This Week:
@ WBS 1/25
@ SPR 1/27
@ UTI 1/28 |
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| Iowa is still hanging around here but they have played 43 games which is second most in the division behind Chicago. |
Rank: 14
Last Week: 12th
Change: Down 2
Record: 19-19-4-1 |
Last Week:
SD 3 @ IA 1
GR 3 @ IA 2 (OT)
TEX 3 @ IA 2 (OT)
TEX 2 @ IA 3 |
This Week:
@ GR 1/25
@ RFD 1/27
@ RFD 1/28 |
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| San Jose trips up a bit this week with the resurgence of Tucson and the throttling that Ontario gave them Saturday. |
Rank: 15
Last Week: 5th
Change: Down 10
Record: 19-11-1-3 |
Last Week:
BAK 1 @ SJ 7
SJ 1 @ SD 5
SJ 2 @ ONT 7 |
This Week:
@ STK 1/25
@ GR 1/27
@ MIL 1/28 |
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| Wolves slip after playing the two teams ahead of them in the Central this week. Now they play the team right behind them in fourth place in Cleveland this weekend. |
Rank: 16
Last Week: 4th
Change: Down 12
Record: 24-15-3-2 |
Last Week:
CHI 2 @ GR 3
MIL 1 @ CHI 0
MIL 1 @ CHI 5 |
This Week:
@ CLE 1/26
@ CLE 1/28 |
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| Gulls are in a tumbler right now with the Heat, Stars and Barracuda for third place on down in the Pacific. |
Rank: 17
Last Week: 16th
Change: Down 1
Record: 18-12-2-2 |
Last Week:
SD 3 @ IA 1
SJ 1 @ SD 5
SD 2 @ ONT 3 (SO) |
This Week:
@ TUC 1/25
@ TUC 1/27
@ TUC 1/28 |
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| Positive week here for the Stars. You keep waiting for Texas to make a run. |
Rank: 18
Last Week: 24th
Change: Up 6
Record: 20-16-1-2 |
Last Week:
TEX 4 @ SA 3 (OT)
MTB 3 @ TEX 4
TEX 3 @ IA 2 (OT)
TEX 2 @ IA 3 |
This Week:
vs. MTB 1/24
vs. BAK 1/27
vs. BAK 1/28 |
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| Split a pair with the Condors. A good team is not going to make playoffs in the Pacific. Is it going to be Stockton? |
Rank: 19
Last Week: 19th
Change: n/a
Record: 19-13-3-1 |
Last Week:
BAK 3 @ STK 6
BAK 6 @ STK 3 |
This Week:
vs. SJ 1/25
@ MIL 1/27
@ GR 1/28 |
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| Split a pair of 6-3 wins with Stockton this weekend. .500 isn’t going to cut it in the Pacific though. Bakersfield, while trending in the right direction, needs wins. |
Rank: 20
Last Week: 17th
Change: Down 3
Record: 15-15-4-1 |
Last Week:
BAK 1 @ SJ 7
BAK 3 @ STK 6
BAK 6 @ STK 3 |
This Week:
@ ONT 1/25
@ TEX 1/27
@ TEX 1/28 |
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| Checkers sweep those pesky Roadrunners at home this weekend. Home stand continues with a pair against the Manitoba Moose. |
Rank: 21
Last Week: 21st
Change: n/a
Record: 18-21-3-0 |
Last Week:
MIL 3 @ CHA 0
MIL 4 @ CHA 3 (OT)
TUC 1 @ CHA 3
TUC 1 @ CHA 2 |
This Week:
vs. MTB 1/27
vs. MTB 1/28 |
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| Marlies have disappointed many in that last years team would have been leading this sorry North Division by about 20 points right about now. Still a few months to go and time to make a run, but nothing the Marlies have shown in recent months have given any inkling that this will occur. |
Rank: 22
Last Week: 25th
Change: Up 3
Record: 17-20-2-1 |
Last Week:
TOR 7 @ HFD 4
TOR 3 @ BRI 4
TOR 2 @ SPR 1 |
This Week:
@ RCH 1/25
@ STJ 1/27
@ STJ 1/28 |
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| Split with San Antonio. Manitoba is slipping away here. Can claw their way back on the road this weekend in Charlotte. |
Rank: 23
Last Week: 23rd
Change: n/a
Record: 16-19-3-2 |
Last Week:
MTB 3 @ TEX 4
MTB 2 @ SA 0
MTB 2 @ SA 4 |
This Week:
@ TEX 1/24
@ CHA 1/27
@ CHA 1/28 |
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| Monsters play three games in a row where there was a shutout involved. That’s impressive. Sadly, Cleveland was on the wrong end of two of those. |
Rank: 24
Last Week: 20th
Change: Down 4
Record: 18-16-1-3 |
Last Week:
RFD 1 @ CLE 0
RFD 0 @ CLE 2
CLE 0 @ GR 5 |
This Week:
@ MIL 1/24
vs. CHI 1/26
vs. CHI 1/28 |
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| Bears are 1-7-2-0 in their last ten and have slipped from fourth in the AHL in goals allowed to 25th. Their head coach tells the media that they are playing with an ECHL defense. Hard to argue that and the results are showing. |
Rank: 25
Last Week: 22nd
Change: Down 3
Record: 19-13-7-2 |
Last Week:
WBS 5 @ HER 3
HER 1 @ WBS 5
LV 5 @ HER 1 |
This Week:
@ HFD 1/25
@ PRO 1/27
@ SPR 1/28 |
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| Hard to make sense of that 5-2 win the Wolf Pack had over the Providence Bruins this past Sunday. Hartford got the road weary Bruins at the right time, maybe? |
Rank: 26
Last Week: 29th
Change: Up 3
Record: 15-23-3-1 |
Last Week:
TOR 7 @ HFD 4
RCH 3 @ HFD 1
HFD 5 @ PRO 2 |
This Week:
vs. HER 1/25
@ BRI 1/27
vs. PRO 1/28 |
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| San Antonio is buried in the Pacific Division basement and have the most games played (42) than any other team in the division. |
Rank: 27
Last Week: 27th
Change: n/a
Record: 18-20-4-0 |
Last Week:
TEX 4 @ SA 3 (OT)
MTB 2 @ SA 0
MTB 2 @ SA 4
RFD 2 @ SA 3 (OT) |
This Week:
vs. RFD 1/25
vs. ONT 1/27
vs. ONT 1/28 |
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| With how putrid the North is Rochester, in last place, isn’t out of the playoff picture by a long shot. Schedule doesn’t get any easier this week with a home and home with the Devils on the menu this week. |
Rank: 28
Last Week: 26th
Change: Down 2
Record: 18-23-0-1 |
Last Week:
RCH 3 @ PRO 4
RCH 3 @ HFD 1
RCH 1 @ BRI 3 |
This Week:
vs. TOR 1/25
vs. ALB 1/27
@ ALB 1/28 |
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| Time to turn the lights out in Springfield. One point out of four games isn’t going to get the job done. |
Rank: 29
Last Week: 28th
Change: Down 1
Record: 15-17-6-2 |
Last Week:
LV 4 @ SPR 3
BRI 5 @ SPR 3
SPR 2 @ BNG 3 (OT)
TOR 2 @ SPR 1 |
This Week:
@ UTI 1/25
vs. SYR 1/27
vs. HER 1/28 |
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| That win over Grand Rapids is nice, but the IceHogs have miles to go if they want to get serious about making a push. |
Rank: 30
Last Week: 30th
Change: n/a
Record: 14-21-4-3 |
Last Week:
GR 1 @ RFD 3
RFD 1 @ CLE 0
RFD 0 @ CLE 2
RFD 2 @ SA 3 (OT) |
This Week:
@ SA 1/25
vs. IA 1/27
vs. IA 1/28 |
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Have a great week, everyone!
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