Chirps from Center Ice

There were no Power Rankings last week because when you had nearly an entire division in the Atlantic out of action the first weekend in December, you can’t fairly grade and come up with Rankings like that. COVID-19 would have been the number one team. People are dying from this, you can’t really make a joke out of it. So I thought it would be best to just not do one last week.

Anyway we are back at 100%, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, and have the Rankings back and better than ever this week.

Utica goes back to number one, but really throw a blanket over the top three teams and either one can be the number one side.

Here’s the full list…

Rank	Team	Blurb	Last Week
1		Still tearing through teams. When do we start having the conversation of Utica being an all time great team?	+1
2		Haven’t lost in ten straight. Now, beating up on last place Texas for three games isn’t that impressive. The Wolves are a literally wolf in a sheeps den of other teams in the Central.	+5
3		Pasted San Jose 10-1 last Tuesday. This is what good teams do to bad teams. Don’t really see any problems schedule wise with this team so the run should continue.	+3
4		Returned from COVID protocol and lost a shootout in Allentown on Sunday. Rematch this Friday at home with the Phantoms, then an important home and home with Springfield.	n/a
5		Came out of COVID protocol and faced Utica and managed to win in overtime which was impressive. Also managed to beat Laval this week. Head to Charlotte for a midweek trip.	-4
6		Senators are back to .500 and looking to make more noise. Successful weekend trip through Providence and Bridgeport.	+4
7		Bruins were patient zero in the AHL’s Atlantic and were rewarded with a three in three coming out of protocol. Almost unfair. Managed 4 of 6 points with a shutout of the Thunderbirds tossed in there Saturday.	+2
8		Play Chicago in a kids day game Thursday with a chance to make up a bit of ground that the Wolves have on them.	+4
9		Played a home and home with San Diego where the home team in each contest was victorious. Are .500 and among a ton of other teams in the Pacific who are the same.	-1
10		We have reached the “slightly above average” portion of teams in the Pacific, with Tucson playing at a 6-4 in their last ten clip, including a shootout win over the Stockton Heat, who are in their own stratosphere currently.	+7
11		Dropped all of the offense Wednesday in Syracuse (8 goals) then lost in Utica and in Allentown. Five game homestand begins this Thursday with visits from Utica and Chicago.	-6
12		Has been pretty business as usual for the Checkers, who split a pair of 5-3 decisions with Syracuse this past weekend. Rochester and Bridgeport are in this week.	+3
13		Are the Bears extremely average?	+6
14		Eagles use Bakersfield and Tucson on their schedule to make a run up to fourth in the Pacific. Big test this weekend in Stockton.	-3
15		Split a pair out in Rockford. There is a lot of average in the Pacific and the Silver Knights are one of them.	+3
16		Penguins take advantage of a rag tag Springfield group Sunday and pick up their first shutout since January 2020 with a guy they signed on a PTO from ECHL Idaho. Stuff of legends.	+9
17		Some teams managed to make it out of COVID protocols OK (like the Penguins) and then there is Springfield, who has been pillaged lineup wise. Back to back shutout losses this past weekend with Providence and Wilkes-Barre.	-14
18		When I got to the IceHogs I was expecting them to be a lot worse than third in the Central, especially when I saw Henderson paste Rockford 5-0 last Friday.	+4
19		Went win – loss – loss this weekend through the Northeast. Host Syracuse then head to Grand Rapids this weekend.	-5
20		Griffins are highly inconsistent. Marlies drop by this weekend.	-4
21		Admirals are on a four game win streak – does this survive through a home and home with the Wolves this weekend?	+5
22		North Division’s most inconsistent team. Beat Manitoba, lost to Rochester then went to Hershey and made a 2-2 in the third period into a 4-2 win.	+5
23		Haven’t won in seven straight, getting swept by lowly Milwaukee this last weekend. Admirals travel to Des Moines Tuesday, which starts a six game homestand for the Wild.	-10
24		Seven game homestand opens with a win over the Reign. Bakersfield and San Jose stop by this weekend.	-4
25		Have stayed COVID free and picked up two wins in the process. Big tests this week with Belleville, Hartford and Rochester coming.	+6
26		Picked up a win against a suddenly struggling Marlies team on Saturday and lost to a suddenly hot Belleville team on Sunday.	-3
27		Split a pair in Charlotte. That can be something to build off of.	+3
28		Have had a few COVID delays. They have played like it too, going 2-5-1-2 in their last ten. Schedule doesn’t relent. Stockton and San Diego are this weeks opponents.	-7
29		Road trip wraps up in Henderson. Canucks have the sixth best power play in all the AHL, bested only in the division by, you guessed it, Stockton.	n/a
30		Salvaged a split with Abbotsford. Four game road trip after the Eagles swoop in this Wednesday.	-2
31		Stars kickoff their long homestand with the Wolves drubbing them for 19 goals across three games. Schedule doesn’t lighten up with Rockford this week and Manitoba next week.	-7