Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

AHL Power Rankings: Week 17

Leave a comment Posted by on February 6, 2017

We are already past the first weekend of February. There are 10 weeks left in the 2016-17 AHL season. Where has the time gone?

The top team in the AHL was embarrassed Friday night and responded in a big way Saturday against their biggest division rival right now. They didn’t just beat the Phantoms, they crushed them. That, coupled with some minor falters below the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins keeps them at the pinnacle of the Week 17 AHL Power Rankings.

To see the rest of the order, click through the jump if you didn’t link in direct.

14tex_500
We see no reason to drop the Penguins out of the top spot in the Rankings this week after that bounce back win against Lehigh Valley Saturday in a huge fashion. Home stand continues this week with three more games.
Rank: 1
Last Week: 1st
Change: n/a
Record: 34-10-3-0		 Last Week:
STJ 5 @ WBS 2
LV 1 @ WBS 7		 This Week:
vs. STJ 2/8
vs. HER 2/10
vs. BNG 2/11

14tex_500
Took down the Reign and are unbeaten in 11 games. This is a streaky team right here and at present a dangerous one. Big road tests up this week for the Gulls.
Rank: 2
Last Week: 5th
Change: Up 3
Record: 23-12-2-2		 Last Week:
SD 4 @ ONT 3 (OT)
ONT 2 @ SD 2		 This Week:
@ BAK 2/7
@ SJ 2/8
@ ONT 2/10
vs. BAK 2/12

14tex_500
Split the weekend. Will probably be the first Western Conference team to thirty wins this week. Big date with a surprising Iowa side coming up this weekend.
Rank: 3
Last Week: 3rd
Change: n/a
Record: 29-13-1-2		 Last Week:
GR 5 @ CHI 2
MIL 5 @ GR 4		 This Week:
vs. MTB 2/8
@ IA 2/10
@ IA 2/11

14tex_500
All that hard work of being one of the better teams in the AHL that no one knows about is finally paying off. San Jose is in first in the Pacific now and looking to stay there. Big date with the Gulls this week.
Rank: 4
Last Week: 10th
Change: Up 6
Record: 24-11-1-3		 Last Week:
SJ 4 @ MTB 1
SJ 5 @ MTB 4		 This Week:
vs. SD 2/8
@ BAK 2/11
vs. ONT 2/12

14tex_500
Eight game winning streak ends Saturday at home to Springfield. It brought the Sound Tigers back from obscurity and has them solidly in the discussion in the Atlantic for now.
Rank: 5
Last Week: 4th
Change: Down 1
Record: 26-16-1-1		 Last Week:
RCH 2 @ BRI 3
SPR 5 @ BRI 2		 This Week:
vs. SPR 2/7
@ PRO 2/10
vs. PRO 2/11
vs. HER 2/12

14tex_500
Iowa has won six straight, including nine in a row on the road. That’s why this team is probably one of the more dangerous teams in the AHL right now. Big test when the Griffins come in this weekend.
Rank: 6
Last Week: 11th
Change: Up 5
Record: 24-19-4-1		 Last Week:
IA 3 @ CLE 0
IA 1 @ CLE 0 (OT)		 This Week:
vs. CLE 2/8
vs. GR 2/10
vs. GR 2/11

14tex_500
Reign slip out of the top spot in the Pacific after getting swept by the streaky Gulls.
Rank: 7
Last Week: 2nd
Change: Down 5
Record: 23-10-8-0		 Last Week:
SD 4 @ ONT 3 (OT)
ONT 0 @ SD 2		 This Week:
vs. BAK 2/8
vs. SD 2/10
@ SJ 2/12

14tex_500
Crunch have been holding onto the top spot in the North for months now. You keep waiting for the bottom to fall out on this team but it hasn’t yet.
Rank: 8
Last Week: 6th
Change: Down 2
Record: 23-14-4-5		 Last Week:
SYR 2 @ ALB 3
SYR 5 @ TOR 3
SYR 2 @ TOR 3		 This Week:
vs. BNG 2/10
vs. RCH 2/11
@ UTI 2/12

14tex_500
Sweep the weekend to stay within arms distance of Grand Rapids, who can’t pull away just yet.
Rank: 9
Last Week: 13th
Change: Up 4
Record: 26-15-2-2		 Last Week:
RFD 3 @ MIL 4 (OT)
MIL 5 @ GR 4		 This Week:
vs. CLE 2/7
vs. RFD 2/10
vs. CHI 2/11

14lv_500
Stop with the Lehigh Valley is a Calder Cup contender talk already. Providence smashing the Phantoms a few weeks back 9-1 is one thing, but to have it happen again in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday night is another. This team, if they even make playoffs, is one and done and that’s all.
Rank: 10
Last Week: 7th
Change: Down 3
Record: 30-13-2-0		 Last Week:
LV 4 @ ALB 3
LV 1 @ WBS 7		 This Week:
vs. BNG 2/8
vs. STJ 2/10
vs. STJ 2/11

14tex_500
Bears sweep the week and are on a 5-0-0-1 streak. Big week ahead with dates against the Penguins and Sound Tigers.
Rank: 11
Last Week: 19th
Change: Up 8
Record: 24-13-7-3		 Last Week:
HER 5 @ BNG 3
STJ 2 @ HER 5
STJ 2 @ HER 3		 This Week:
@ WBS 2/10
vs. HFD 2/11
@ BRI 2/12

14tex_500
Devils still keeping Syracuse honest for now. North race is slowly developing into a two horser it appears.
Rank: 12
Last Week: 8th
Change: Down 4
Record: 26-19-1-1		 Last Week:
SYR 2 @ ALB 3
LV 4 @ ALB 3
ALB 2 @ BNG 6		 This Week:
vs. PRO 2/7
@ RCH 2/20
@ TOR 2/11
@ TOR 2/12

14tex_500
Four straight and 6-4 in their last ten for the Condors who look like a playoff contending team at the moment but that all can change.
Rank: 13
Last Week: 15th
Change: Up 2
Record: 19-16-4-1		 Last Week:
STK 1 @ BAK 2
BAK 2 @ STK 1 (OT)		 This Week:
vs. SD 2/7
@ ONT 2/8
vs. SJ 2/11
@ SD 2/12

14tex_500
Will be rested for this big four game set this weekend. Providence is a good team no one is talking about right now.
Rank: 14
Last Week: 14th
Change: n/a
Record: 26-12-5-3		 Last Week:
SPR 1 @ PRO 3		 This Week:
@ ALB 2/7
vs. BRI 2/10
@ BRI 2/11
vs. SPR 2/12

14tex_500
Wolves are a solid third place team in the Central. Really don’t see any pressure from behind in Iowa or anyone else but don’t see Chicago gunning for Milwaukee or Grand Rapids at this point in time.
Rank: 15
Last Week: 9th
Change: Down 6
Record: 26-16-3-3		 Last Week:
GR 5 @ CHI 2
RFD 2 @ CHI 3 (OT)		 This Week:
@ RFD 2/7
vs. SA 2/10
@ MIL 2/11
vs. SA 2/12

14tex_500
Marlies split with the Crunch at home this week. Are 6-4 in their last ten. Busy week this week.
Rank: 16
Last Week: 17th
Change: Up 1
Record: 21-21-2-1		 Last Week:
SYR 5 @ TOR 3
SYR 2 @ TOR 3		 This Week:
vs. UTI 2/7
@ UTI 2/10
vs. ALB 2/11
vs. ALB 2/12

14tex_500
IceCaps swept by Hershey, return to Wilkes-Barre Wednesday and then travel to Allentown to take on the Phantoms.
Rank: 17
Last Week: 12th
Change: Down 5
Record: 21-20-5-1		 Last Week:
STJ 5 @ WBS 2
STJ 2 @ HER 5
STJ 2 @ HER 3		 This Week:
@ WBS 2/8
@ LV 2/10
@ LV 2/11

14tex_500
Played one and lost one this week. Comets are a .500 team after the first weekend of February. Used a run to get them to the four spot but should have never needed that run to get there in the first place. This is a team that should be playing better than it’s record should indicate.
Rank: 18
Last Week: 16th
Change: Down 2
Record: 18-18-6-2		 Last Week:
UTI 3 @ HFD 4		 This Week:
@ TOR 2/7
vs. TOR 2/10
@ SPR 2/11
vs. SYR 2/12

14tex_500
Split with the Checkers in the living room of the parent team. Travel to Cedar Park looking to cement themselves as a playoff contending team.
Rank: 19
Last Week: 20th
Change: Up 1
Record: 21-14-5-0		 Last Week:
CHA 2 @ TUC 3
CHA 4 @ TUC 2		 This Week:
@ TEX 2/10
@ TEX 2/11

14tex_500
Split in Tucson. Checkers need to make a run here quick.
Rank: 20
Last Week: 22nd
Change: Up 2
Record: 20-23-3-0		 Last Week:
CHA 2 @ TUC 3
CHA 4 @ TUC 2		 This Week:
vs. STK 2/10
vs. STK 2/11

14tex_500
Woof. Monsters shutout in the weekend series with the resurgent Wild.
Rank: 21
Last Week: 18th
Change: Down 3
Record: 20-18-2-3		 Last Week:
IA 3 @ CLE 0
IA 1 @ CLE 0 (OT)		 This Week:
@ MIL 2/7
@ IA 2/8
vs. MTB 2/10
vs. MTB 2/12

14tex_500
That fourth spot in the North is anyones for the taking and Binghamton is in line for it, but .500 over their last ten isn’t going to impress much.
Rank: 22
Last Week: 21st
Change: Down 1
Record: 19-23-2-1		 Last Week:
HER 5 @ BNG 3
ALB 2 @ BNG 6		 This Week:
@ LV 2/8
@ SYR 2/10
@ WBS 2/11

14tex_500
Split the weekend but are in last place in the North. If the Amerks want to get serious about a playoff push, they need to start stringing wins together now.
Rank: 23
Last Week: 24th
Change: Up 1
Record: 20-25-0-2		 Last Week:
RCH 2 @ BRI 3
RCH 4 @ HFD 2		 This Week:
vs. ALB 2/10
@ SYR 2/11

14tex_500
I got the sense that we all watched two teams from Texas that won’t be in the playoffs come mid-April, I don’t know about you.
Rank: 24
Last Week: 25th
Change: Up 1
Record: 21-22-4-0		 Last Week:
TEX 2 @ SA 3
SA 1 @ TEX 2		 This Week:
@ CHI 2/10
@ RFD 2/11
@ CHI 2/12

14tex_500
Split with the Rampage and will likely miss playoffs here if they don’t start throwing positive streaks together.
Rank: 25
Last Week: 28th
Change: Up 3
Record: 21-20-1-2		 Last Week:
TEX 2 @ SA 3
SA 1 @ TEX 2		 This Week:
vs. TUC 2/10
vs. TUC 2/11

14tex_500
It looks like three teams for the fourth and final spot and the Heat are one of them. Dropping two games to one of those teams you will be battling with towards the end is no way to make an impression.
Rank: 26
Last Week: 27th
Change: Up 1
Record: 19-17-4-1		 Last Week:
STK 1 @ BAK 2
BAK 2 @ STK 1 (OT)		 This Week:
@ CHA 2/10
@ CHA 2/11

14tex_500
Snapped Bridgeport’s winning streak decisively on Saturday. Rematch with the Sound Tigers this week. Thunderbirds can still play upset here to a few teams.
Rank: 27
Last Week: 29th
Change: Up 2
Record: 17-20-6-2		 Last Week:
SPR 1 @ PRO 3
SPR 5 @ BRI 2		 This Week:
@ BRI 2/7
vs. HFD 2/10
vs. UTI 2/11
@ PRO 2/12

14tex_500
Split the weekend, playing out the string it would appear. Their mayor apparently doesn’t even think they exist after sending a letter to the Islanders welcoming them in the Connecticut capital.
Rank: 28
Last Week: 26th
Change: Down 2
Record: 17-25-3-2		 Last Week:
UTI 3 @ HFD 4
RCH 4 @ HFD 2		 This Week:
@ SPR 2/10
@ HER 2/11

14tex_500
Moose once promising season looks to me left out in the cold near Portage and Main.
Rank: 29
Last Week: 23rd
Change: Down 6
Record: 18-22-3-2		 Last Week:
SJ 4 @ MTB 1
SJ 5 @ MTB 4		 This Week:
@ GR 2/8
@ CLE 2/10
@ CLE 2/12

14tex_500
IceHogs are the worst team in the AHL and have been for a while. I am running out of things to say about this team here in this spot.
Rank: 30
Last Week: 30th
Change: n/a
Record: 14-23-7-3		 Last Week:
RFD 3 @ MIL 4 (OT)
RFD 2 @ CHI 3 (OT)		 This Week:
vs. CHI 2/7
@ MIL 2/10
vs. SA 2/11
vs. MIL 2/12

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Have a great week, everybody!

Power Rankings

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