Chirps from Center Ice

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.

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There’s a curse of the top team. That team can’t hold onto the top spot for consecutive weeks. Apologies to any Colorado Eagles fans that stumble on the blog.

This week is the Rochester Americans as, as a whole, it seemed like all the contenders but for a few teams, like the Amerks, struggled.

Let’s get into this week.

1. Rochester Americans

Last Week: 3rd (up 2)
Record: 33-14-3-1

Amerks sweep the week and that usually gets you breathing room and in this case it does. Three point gap on second place Laval.

2. Hershey Bears

Last Week: 5th (up 3)
Record: 31-14-5

Bears split in Charlotte and suddenly open the door to a lot of teams that want the top spot Hershey has occupied for months.

3. Providence Bruins

Last Week: 7th (up 4)
Record: 29-17-4-1

Gutsy 5-4 OT win Sunday against Wilkes-Barre after being down 4-1 after the first. Dead heat with the Pens chasing down the Bears.

4. Ontario Reign

Last Week: 8th (up 4)
Record: 30-15-2-1

Reign use the follies of Calgary to draw even with the Wranglers for tops in the Pacific.

5. Coachella Valley Firebirds

Last Week: 11th (up 6)
Record: 28-17-1-5

Don’t look now, but look who is getting hot, oh yeah, it’s the defending Western Conference Champion Coachella Valley Firebirds.

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Apropos of the, ‘fly Eagles, fly’ chants going around in these parts and with their run of play of late, I figure it’s time to put the Colorado Eagles at the top of the Power Rankings this week.

The Eagles are just two points off the Calgary Wranglers for the top spot in the Pacific and I like their run of form recently better than the Wranglers.

Calgary doesn’t stray far from the top, which I give to you now.

1. Colorado Eagles

Last Week: 4th (up 3)
Record: 27-13-4-2

Swept San Jose and are inching closer to Calgary for the top spot.

2. Laval Rocket

Last Week: 1st (down 1)
Record: 31-12-2-1

Rocket go 1-1 in the week. That one loss was 5-0 shutout loss in Belleville. 

3. Rochester Americans

Last Week: 3rd (no change)
Record: 30-14-3-1

A chance to take over the top spot in the North as stymied Sunday by the Rocket who get the spot instead.

4. Calgary Wranglers

Last Week: 5th (up 1)
Record: 29-15-3-1

Just one this week against Ontario but these teams meet later today. 

5. Hershey Bears

Last Week: 8th (up 3)
Record: 30-13-5

Bears sweep the Pens this week to put some distance on a hard charging Wilkes-Barre. Head to Charlotte this weekend which could be a trap.

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You think you have a lot of time in the lead up to the Calder Cup Playoffs, but there’s only like eight weeks left in the season.

There is still time, sure, but you want to be trending upwards.

Laval, Wilkes-Barre and Rochester are all trending upwards, and are in the top three this week.

There are other teams just outside the top ten this week that are making moves like Utica and of all teams Henderson, but of those two I like the Comets overall chances better.

Let’s get into it…

1. Laval Rocket

Last Week: 2nd (up 1)
Record: 30-11-2-1

Hottest team in the AHL right now, it’s time to give the Rocket their just due and stick them at the top. Seven game win streak. 9-1 in their last ten. Trip to equally as hot Rochester this Saturday. 

2. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Last Week: 3rd (up 1)
Record: 26-11-4

Never say die attitude against the Monsters at home Saturday, overcoming a 4-1 first period deficit to win 5-4 in overtime, have the Pens just five points off Hershey and in second place in the Atlantic.

3. Rochester Americans

Last Week: 6th (up 3)
Record: 28-12-3-1

Amerks are on a five game win streak but that is overshadowed by the work that the Rocket have done of late. 

4. Colorado Eagles

Last Week: 9th (up 5)
Record: 25-12-4-2

Points in six straight have the Eagles within five points of first place Calgary with four games in hand.

5. Calgary Wranglers

Last Week: 1st (down 4)
Record: 29-15-2-1

Wranglers haven’t won in three games and the lead on the Pacific is closing tighter. Ontario visits this week and that isn’t going to be easy.

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So, how is your team doing at the All-Star break?

There are some good teams, like Calgary, who have been perpetually good. The Wranglers are the number one team this week knocking off the Bears, who drop to fifth.

Lots of miles ahead and can’t wait to see how it shakes out, let’s get into it.

1. Calgary Wranglers

Last Week: 2nd (up 1)
Record: 29-14-2

 Lead the division by six over the rest of the competition but there are good teams in the Pacific Division with games in hand.

2. Laval Rocket

Last Week: 3rd (up 1)
Record: 28-11-2-1

Swept Hartford at home this week to keep on top of the North by one over the Americans.

3. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Last Week: 8th (up 5)
Record: 24-11-4

Dropped nine on the Bears on Wednesday and split in Charlotte and still have a ton of games in hand. It’s going to be a busy second half in Wilkes-Barre.

4. Toronto Marlies

Last Week: 9th (up 5)
Record: 24-11-2-4

Ten game road trip concludes with the Marlies going 7-2-0-1 – that’s not bad and have Toronto in the mix.

5. Hershey Bears

Last Week: 1st (down 4)
Record: 28-12-5

Getting smashed 9-0 to the Penguins and keeping the very bad Islanders in it, twice at home, knock the Bears from the top spot this week. Bears showing signs they may be cooked, at least as a division leader.

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We are heading to the All-Star break after this next weekend and I have some season ending predictions for you for each of the divisions.

• Hershey will not win the Atlantic Division.
• Utica will make the playoffs.
• A Central Division team will play for the Calder Cup.
• Calgary will not win the Pacific Division.

In doing now 16 weeks of these Rankings I have picked up a bit of a vibe, and the above is it. Let’s come back and revisit how wrong I was in the future, shall we?

Let’s get into the Rankings this week with little shakeup to the top five.

1. Hershey Bears

Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 26-11-5

Banged up Bears survived key losses a few months back. Now, with teams closing in, will they again in the coming weeks?

2. Calgary Wranglers

Last Week: 2nd (no change)
Record: 28-13-2

Wranglers picked up 3 of 6 points this week but are still being pursued by the rest of the division and it seems like the gap is shortening. 

3. Laval Rocket

Last Week: 4th (up 1)
Record: 26-11-2-1

Laval is a work horse team that just grinds. That, and they are back at the top of the North looking to stay there. 

4. Texas Stars

Last Week: 3rd (down 1)
Record: 24-13-1

Stars stay hot, 8-2 in last ten and have tough competition on the plate this week win Milwaukee and Coachella Valley.

5. Grand Rapids Griffins

Last Week: 8th (up 3)
Record: 24-12-3-1

Griffins handle business in Winnipeg against the Moose and remain in firm control of the Central Division lead. 

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So I had to do a bit of corrections this week with Calgary.

I had the Wranglers down in twelfth last week, and for pretty good reasons. But after a huge week for the Pacific Division leaders, they get a big bump back up in the top five in the Power Rankings this week, but not enough to knock off Hershey from the top spot.

Let’s get into it…

1. Hershey Bears

Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 25-11-3

Bears sweep another weekend and now head to Canada with a mid-week stop in Laval and a weekend in Belleville.

2. Calgary Wranglers

Last Week: 12th (up 10)
Record: 27-12-1

Wranglers lead on the division was in trouble? Says who? Calgary wins all four games this week. 

3. Texas Stars

Last Week: 3rd (no change)
Record: 22-13-1

Stars split with Milwaukee to stay ahead of the Admirals and keep pursuing the Griffins.

4. Laval Rocket

Last Week: 2nd (down 2)
Record: 23-11-2-1

4 of 6 points this week and keeping pace with Rochester while trying to hold off a pesky Cleveland team. 

5. Rochester Americans

Last Week: 4th (down 1)
Record: 23-11-3-1

3 of 6 points this week closes up the lead the Amerks had on Laval, now just a point.

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