Not a lot of shakeup to the top five this week as things are solidifying maybe?
I’m still peeved over Saturday’s result in Hershey so let’s just get started.
1. Rochester Americans
Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 34-13-3-3
Points in six straight as Rochester starts to separate from Laval in the last full month of the season.
2. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 2nd (no change)
Record: 33-14-5
Every time you think you got this team, they get you. It’s frustrating too watch as a rival but in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.
3. Colorado Eagles
Last Week: 7th (up 4)
Record: 30-14-5-2
Sweep the weekend at home against the Reign and didn’t allow Ontario to score. Impressive. Lead the Pacific as well, doubly impressive.
4. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 10th (up 6)
Record: 34-15-2-1
Looking like a two horse North Division race between Laval and Rochester.
5. Coachella Valley Firebirds
Last Week: 5th (no change)
Record: 30-18-1-5
Regulation loss to Henderson costs the Firebirds first place this week.Big series in Calgary this week.
6. Providence Bruins
Last Week: 3rd (down 3)
Record: 31-17-4-2
I like the Bruins chances to chase down the Bears moreso then I like Wilkes-Barre’s these days.
7. Calgary Wranglers
Last Week: 6th (down 1)
Record: 30-18-4-2
Fell out of first place for the first time in a while. Firebirds in for a pair in a very important series.
8. Milwaukee Admirals
Last Week: 9th (up 1)
Record: 28-18-4-4
Admirals in a three horse race with the Stars and Griffins.
9. Texas Stars
Last Week: 12th (up 3)
Record: 30-17-3
Important game this week in Milwaukee which could be for Central Division supremacy.
10. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 8th (down 2)
Record: 29-15-3-3
Split in Cleveland. Can make a run at first here and a big week of home games against Springfield and Lehigh Valley can help them get there.
11. Springfield Thunderbirds
Last Week: 13th (up 2)
Record: 27-19-2-4
A pair of 4-3 shootout wins and losses against Providence and Hartford respectively.
12. Ontario Reign
Last Week: 4th (down 8)
Record: 31-17-2-1
Shutout in a pair of games in Colorado. Yikes.
13. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Last Week: 11th (down 2)
Record: 29-14-7-1
Consistency or lack there of is killing this team. You really don’t know which team you are going to get each night.
14. Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Last Week: 13th (down 1)
Record: 28-21-5-2
Hershey is no Bridgeport, that’s for sure.
15. Syracuse Crunch
Last Week: 18th (up 3)
Record: 23-18-8-4
Shutout against the Pens Friday but got points against divisional opponents. That’s all that matters.
16. Henderson Silver Knights
Last Week: 14th (down 2)
Record: 22-30-2
I don’t think we can call the Silver Knights a pushover, as they and the Gulls have closed up things to the rest of the pack in the Pacific.
17. San Diego Gulls
Last Week: 15th (down 2)
Record: 20-25-5-3
Are the Gulls the hottest team in the AHL right now? Maybe, but a regulation loss and an OT loss cut into that argument.
18. Abbotsford Canucks
Last Week: 20th (up 2)
Record: 28-22-2-1
Canucks split the week with the Wranglers. Trending up, with room to move.
19. Bakersfield Condors
Last Week: 20th (up 1)
Record: 22-19-6-3
Pair of wins over San Jose and San Diego this week to stop the slide.
20. Toronto Marlies
Last Week: 16th (down 4)
Record: 28-15-3-6
Marlies look like they may be working their way out of the funk they are in. Maybe.
21. Utica Comets
Last Week: 26th (up 5)
Record: 22-24-4-2
Nice little four game win streak for the Comets. Is this the last push for Utica?
22. Grand Rapids Griffins
Last Week: 21st (down 1)
Record: 28-20-4-2
Griffs keep slipping. 3-5-1-1 in last ten.
23. Cleveland Monsters
Last Week: 22nd (down 1)
Record: 27-16-5-5
Monsters taking a nose dive, 3-3-2-2 in their last ten.
24. Tucson Roadrunners
Last Week: 30th (up 6)
Record: 25-22-3-2
Points in four straight and the turn back up the standings follows. Will be seeing an ornery Ontario team which were shutout in Colorado this past weekend.
25. San Jose Barracuda
Last Week: 26th (down 1)
Record: 27-20-2-3
Barracuda have some big games coming here in a vulnerable spot with San Diego and a pair with Abbotsford.
26. Belleville Senators
Last Week: 25th (down 1)
Record: 24-19-4-4
Win over Cleveland, split with Manitoba, lost to Laval were the results this week in a busy one for the Senators.
27. Rockford IceHogs
Last Week: 24th (down 3)
Record: 22-25-5-1
5-5 in their last ten and another meeting with an all of sudden slightly warm Wild team.
28. Iowa Wild
Last Week: 32nd (up 4)
Record: 20-30-3-1
Don’t look now but the Wild have won four straight.
29. Chicago Wolves
Last Week: 18th (down 11)
Record: 27-21-3-1
Wolves in a bit of a slide, will see what we have here with this squad this week against Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Texas, a three in three, this weekend.
30. Manitoba Moose
Last Week: 28th (down 2)
Record: 18-30-1-2
Managed to get a couple of points this week but I think this Moose is cooked.
31. Hartford Wolf Pack
Last Week: 29th (down 2)
Record: 22-26-5-2
You know things are going bad when you score an own goal when you pull your goaltender for a penalty which is what happened to the Wolf Pack on Saturday.
32. Bridgeport Islanders
Last Week: 31st (down 1)
Record: 12-36-3-3
Winless this week and an epically bad season gets worse.
Hang in there Islanders fans, there’s only a few more weeks of this misery left!
Have a great week, everyone!
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