The Hershey Bears are inevitable.
After a few rough weeks, the Bears are getting healthy again and are at the top of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings yet again. I don’t see a real argument for another team here, maybe Texas, who are 9-1 in their last ten and probably the hottest team in the League, but not this week.
Let’s get straight into it!
1. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 6th (up 5)
Record: 23-11-3
The Bears are vulnerable? Says who? Sweep another contender in Charlotte proves this team isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Erasing a three goal deficit in the third period Friday is quite impressive as well.
2. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 8th (up 6)
Record: 21-10-2-1
Took three of four points in Cleveland to tighten things way up in the North as we hit mid-January.
3. Texas Stars
Last Week: 15th (up 12)
Record: 21-12-1
Stars are 9-1 in their last ten and have tied struggling Grand Rapids for tops in the Central.
4. Rochester Americans
Last Week: 2nd (down 2)
Record: 22-10-3
Split the week and that doesn’t do them any favors as the lead over Cleveland is just a point.
5. Ontario Reign
Last Week: 1st (down 4)
Record: 21-10-0-1
Split with the Iowa Wild at home this weekend. Heading up to Abbotsford this week before returning home to host Henderson and Calgary.
6. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Last Week: 5th (down 1)
Record: 20-9-3
Had an eight game point streak but that ended Sunday in Belleville against a team that wanted it more. Wednesday stop in Laval then a rematch against the Senators who beat the Pens Sunday, Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre.
7. San Jose Barracuda
Last Week: 7th (no change)
Record: 20-11-1-2
Three of four points out of the week is okay for now since Calgary got swept by the Eagles, so the Barracuda make up some points on the Wranglers.
8. Cleveland Monsters
Last Week: 14th (up 6)
Record: 21-11-1-3
Shutout by Laval on Friday but then beat the Rocket to keep pace with Rochester for tops in the North on Saturday.
9. Coachella Valley Firebirds
Last Week: 18th (up 9)
Record: 19-12-1-4
Don’t look now, but Coachella Vally is second in the Pacific, but a tough road trip to Colorado is on the docket this week.
10. Grand Rapids Griffins
Last Week: 3rd (down 7)
Record: 20-12-3
The Griffins troubles with the Manitoba Moose at home allowed the Texas Stars to tie them for the lead in the Central Division.
11. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 4th (down 7)
Record: 19-9-2-2
Picked up just one point against the Bears in a weekend set with Hershey. Milwaukee and Hartford drop in this week for a busy week.
12. Calgary Wranglers
Last Week: 9th (down 3)
Record: 23-12-1
All of a sudden the Wranglers look vulnerable. Three game losing streak and 4-6 in their last ten. There are a ton of Pacific teams ready to assume the top spot.
13. Colorado Eagles
Last Week: 20th (up 7)
Record: 19-10-1-2
Eagles get a big push ere as they take down the Pacific Division leading Wranglers in a pair of games in Calgary.
14. Tucson Roadrunners
Last Week: 16th (up 2)
Record: 19-13-1
Beat the Firebirds but then split with the Gulls. The Roadrunners are just an okay team in a division where there are a lot of great teams.
15. Providence Bruins
Last Week: 11th (down 4)
Record: 18-13-3-1
Bruins still have the stink of inconsistency on them after beating Bridgeport (kind of a given at this point) and then losing to Springfield.
16. Toronto Marlies
Last Week: 12th (down 4)
Record: 18-10-2-3
Losing skid stopped in Syracuse but started again in Utica. All of a sudden this weekend series against the Manitoba Moose doesn’t look like an automatic two points.
17. Manitoba Moose
Last Week: 25th (up 8)
Record: 11-19-1-1
Okay, so the Moose have finally woken up and have points in five straight and that sweep in Grand Rapids is mighty impressive. A struggling Toronto team visits this weekend.
18. Springfield Thunderbirds
Last Week: 26th (up 8)
Record: 15-15-2-1
Thunderbirds sweep the week to edge closer to the discussion points of contenders in the Atlantic. A pair with Bridgeport this week and then a Sunday stop in Providence.
19. Abbotsford Canucks
Last Week: 27th (up 8)
Record: 16-15-1-1
Nice little get back on track with a sweep of Henderson at home.
20. Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Last Week: 10th (down 10)
Record: 17-14-5-1
Shutout Hartford in front of 10,000+ in Connecticut but then laid an absolute egg Sunday in Bridgeport.
21. Syracuse Crunch
Last Week: 13th (down 8)
Record: 16-11-5-3
Crunch are middling after dropping decisions against terrible Utica and sliding Toronto. The win over first place Rochester on Saturday was nice, though.
22. San Diego Gulls
Last Week: 29th (up 7)
Record: 11-19-3-2
Four of six points in a week isn’t bad, but when you are so far behind like the Gulls are (20 points behind first place Calgary) it seems like a lost season, and we aren’t even to February yet.
23. Chicago Wolves
Last Week: 17th (down 6)
Record: 17-13-2
Drop a pair of 5-2 losses in Coachella Valley and what was a promising couple of weeks is turning sour again.
24. Bakersfield Condors
Last Week: 24th (no change)
Record: 14-13-3-1
Split with San Jose and the schedule stays tough with a road trip to Colorado.
25. Utica Comets
Last Week: 31st (up 6)
Record: 9-18-2-2
Comets go 2-1 this week with wins over Syracuse and Toronto but a loss to Rochester. Utica may be playing better than their record and place would indicate.
26. Bridgeport Islanders
Last Week: 32nd (up 6)
Record: 8-22-2-2
Shutting out Lehigh Valley Sunday is a small victory in a forgettable season for the Islanders.
27. Belleville Senators
Last Week: 28th (up 1)
Record: 15-11-1-4
Gritted out two points from the Penguins Sunday and hey, that could propel a club. We will see after a tough PA trip this week for the B-Sens.
28. Hartford Wolf Pack
Last Week: 23rd (down 5)
Record: 16-16-2-1
OT win in Hartford is the only bright spot spot on a weekend where the Wolf Pack were primed to make up ground but couldn’t.
29. Rockford IceHogs
Last Week: 22nd (down 7)
Record: 15-16-3-1
Swept by the Stars at home but then shutout the Admirals on Sunday at home.
30. Milwaukee Admirals
Last Week: 21st (down 9)
Record: 16-12-2-3
Admirals go winless in the week and now head to Charlotte to take on a Checkers team that shared the same result.
31. Iowa Wild
Last Week: 30th (down 1)
Record: 12-20-2
So far, not a good California trip. Just 1-2 but a chance to even that up in San Diego on Wednesday before the next eight at home.
32. Henderson Silver Knights
Last Week: 19th (down 13)
Record: 9-24-2
Whatever the Silver Knights had going for them last week disappeared in Western Canada in a sweep at the hands of the Canucks.
Have a great week, everyone!
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