Chirps from Center Ice

It’s a nearly all Pacific Division top five this week as the Stockton Heat take over the top spot in the Rankings this week unseating the Utica Comets.

If you don’t understand the headline, the Heat’s goal song is, “The Heat is On” by Glenn Frey. I think it is subtly awesome, personally.

The Heat are followed closely by the Ontario Reign, who took three of four points out of Stockton this weekend and the Bakersfield Condors who are on a hell of a run.

A note about Springfield, they bumped up big this week. Call it a market correction.

Here’s the whole list:

Rank	Team	Blurb	Last Week
1		Boy that was a fun series with Ontario this past weekend. Heat remain tops in the Pacific with a shootout win Saturday. Home and home with Bakersfield this weekend.	+1
2		Reign get three of four points out of Stockton. They scored three power play goals Saturday against the Heat.	+2
3		Busy week for the Condors coming up who were in a run and gun with Silver Knights last weekend. One with Ontario and then a home and home with Stockton. Abbotsford in on Wednesday.	+3
4		Dropping Utica out of the top spot because last place Cleveland beat them. Toronto and Rochester on the menu this week.	-3
5		Important game Saturday in Providence coming. Wolf Pack beat Rochester in OT this past Saturday.	n/a
6		Swept Texas last week. This week: one in Chicago, one with Rockford, then three with the Moose. All winnable and the Admirals will be looking to move even higher in the Central.	+2
7		Busy February continues for this team. Five game road trip starts Wednesday in Belleville.	+7
8		Thunderbirds getting hot at the right time. This is the thick of the season. Trip to PA where the Thunderbirds haven’t had much luck this season.	+14
9		Every week I come to the standings expecting to see a new face on top of the Central and every week it is still Chicago. 3-3-2-2 in their last ten. Rockford got them twice this weekend.	-2
10		Wolves are floundering and the Moose go out to Abbotsford and get trounced. Now three with Milwaukee, the hottest team in the division? Eek!	-7
11		The wins over Chicago are nice, but it’s the rest of the division that the IceHogs have to figure out. Iowa and Milwaukee this week then a home and home with Grand Rapids.	+6
12		Marlies did not play this past week. Get Utica in an important midweek matchup then a home and home with Belleville.	n/a
13		Wild holding onto last playoff spot in the Central. Schedule is a bit heavy this week with a pair with the Wolves and one with Rockford.	+3
14		Took 4 of 6 out of Pennsylvania. Return home for key matchups with Laval and Toronto, suddenly winnable games for the Senators.	+5
15		Split a series with Tucson. I’m sorry but if you want to contend in this bloated division, you shouldn’t be giving points away to Tucson of all teams. Henderson stops in this week and the Silver Knights aren’t a pushover.	-5
16		Sweep the Moose at home in impressive fashion. Bakersfield and Colorado make for good tests for these Canucks.	+14
17		Six game February road trip continues this week in Colorado and Tucson. Winnable games to keep pace with the top two teams in the Pacific.	-2
18		Bears have losses wrapped around a win Saturday at home against Belleville where the power play saved the Bears (Hershey went 3/5) – trip out to see Providence and Bridgeport this weekend.	-9
19		Depleted by injuries and callups, again. But got a gutty win Friday at home against Rochester via shootout.	-6
20		Hit a bump midweek in a loss in Rochester and again Friday at home with Belleville. Very important games midweek with Charlotte for fifth in the division.	-9
21		Phantoms go 5-1-1 against the Bears this past Sunday with a big win. Problem is the other teams in the division.	-3
22		Rocky trip to the Atlantic, but managed to get loser points. Trip continues this week.	-1
23		Big showdown at home this week against the Penguins before the Monsters stop in.	-3
24		Won their only game this week against the Barracuda. Home and home against the Reign this weekend.	+4
25		Won Thursday in OT in Des Moines then got smoked the next night by the Wild.	n/a
26		Schedule doesn’t relent with Henderson this weekend.	+1
27		Split down in Charlotte. Host Rochester / Hershey / Hartford this week.	-4
28		Managed a win in Utica, which doesn’t happen much. Trip to Charlotte this weekend.	+3
29		Swept by Milwaukee. Grand Rapids then San Jose drop by. These are winnable, must win games for the Stars.	-3
30		Crunch continue to free fall, getting thumped by Laval three times. One more with the Rocket this week before a different opponent (Rochester) drops by this week.	-6
31		Busiest part of the month coming up here for the Barracuda who only play seven games this month. San Jose have three this week with San Diego and a pair in Texas.	-2