We are less than a month away from the Calder Cup Playoffs. We have solid playoff teams and teams still battling to get it.

Now, we can start having a discussion of Calder Cup favorites. I think your choice is going to be my choice and it may be bolstered by the week they just had.

Can anyone beat the Charlotte Checkers, our number one team this week, in a playoff series?

Syracuse, our number two team this week, gave it a good run this past week, but that would only come with the Crunch getting out of the North which a matchup against the number three team in Belleville may not be an automatic guarantee.

Bakersfield and Chicago round out the top five. The Condors smoked Ontario in their only action this week and the Wolves are battling for the division championship in the Central.

Click past the Wolves to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1	Last Week: RCH 1 @ CHA 4, RCH 1 @ CHA 3, SYR 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), SYR 2 @ CHA 4
	We don’t think there is a team that can touch the Checkers in a seven game series. They should be your favorites for the Calder Cup this season.
n/a	This Week: vs. HFD 3/23, vs. HFD 3/24, @ BRI 3/27
Record: 42-15-7-1

2	Last Week: HFD 2 @ SYR 3, BNG 1 @ SYR 4, SYR 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), SYR 2 @ CHA 4
	Split a series with Charlotte this past week. We’d slightly like the Crunch’s chances against the Checkers than say, Rochester.
n/a	This Week: vs. UTI 3/23, @ BRI 3/24, @ BEL 3/27
Record: 41-18-4-2

3	Last Week: LAV 3 @ BEL 2 (SO), LAV 5 @ BEL 6 (SO), UTI 1 @ BEL 3
	You can probably start buying the ink in Belleville for those playoff tickets after this 5 of 6 point week.
+1	This Week: @ PRO 3/22, @ BRI 3/23, vs. SYR 3/27
Record: 33-25-3-5

4	Last Week: ONT 0 @ BAK 7
	Smoked Ontario Saturday in their only action of the week. Come back for seconds and thirds this week with two more against the Reign.
+1	This Week: @ ONT 3/22, vs. ONT 3/27
Record: 37-17-3-1

5	Last Week: CLE 3 @ CHI 2, SA 2 @ CHI 6, CHI 1 @ RFD 2 (SO)
	Wolves are a lock for the postseason, but the division championship remains in doubt. Will probably come down to the final day, but a two point cushion now in Rosemont may as well be twelve.
+1	This Week: @ TEX 3/22, @ SA 3/23, @ SA 3/26
Record: 37-19-5-3

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Playoff picture getting clearer, or is it? We try to make sense of it all in the Week 23 AHL Power Rankings.

No surprise that Charlotte and Syracuse are the top two teams again this week. Rochester is given their due in third as the leaders of the North Division followed by Belleville, who finally is in the playoff picture formally now and Bakersfield.

Three North Division clubs in the top five this week. Question for you to take away, do you see any of the three beating Charlotte in a seven game series?

Click past the Condors to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1	Last Week: CHA 2 @ LV 3, CHA 4 @ LV 0
	Split with Lehigh Valley. It’s becoming apparent that the division runs through the Checkers, probably the Conference and likely the entirety of the AHL.
n/a	This Week: vs. RCH 3/15, vs. RCH 3/16, vs. SYR 3/19, vs. SYR 3/20
Record: 39-15-6-1

2	Last Week: UTI 0 @ SYR 4, SYR 3 @ WBS 4 (OT), SYR 4 @ LAV 2
	Is anyone really talking about Syracuse as a Calder Cup favorite? If not, you should be.
n/a	This Week: vs. HFD 3/15, vs. BNG 3/16, @ CHA 3/19, @ CHA 3/20
Record: 38-17-4-2

3	Last Week: BRI 0 @ RCH 5, RCH 5 @ BNG 3, BNG 1 @ RCH 6, UTI 0 @ RCH 3
	Amerks go tops on Syracuse in the division but they have two more games played than the Crunch. Head to North Carolina for a date with the Checkers that Rochester hopes is an Eastern Conference Finals Preview.
+4	This Week: @ CHA 3/15, @ CHA 3/16
Record: 39-18-3-2

4	Last Week: BEL 1 @ CLE 2, BEL 0 @ CLE 4, BEL 5 @ TOR 3
	Knocking on the door of a playoff spot for weeks, now in at the four spot in the North. Game next Wednesday with Utica is looming large,k but let’s not look past Laval looking to play spoiler.
+2	This Week: vs. LAV 3/15, vs. LAV 3/16, vs. UTI 3/20
Record: 31-25-3-4

5	Last Week: BAK 1 @ STK 4, BAK 7 @ SJ 1, SD 5 @ BAK 4 (OT)
	Light week this week, one with Ontario. Three points out of a possible six points last week.
-2	This Week: vs. ONT 3/16
Record: 36-17-3-1

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Sorry Charlotte, we will never doubt you again.

The Checkers regain their rightful place at the top of the Week 22 version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings. After a few rough stretches, the Checkers have shook off whatever bothered them and have the Atlantic Division on lock down. They are the number one team again in this weeks Rankings.

We decided to shake up the top five a bit. Syracuse, after gaining sole possession of first place in a very competitive North Division, are the number two team.

Bakersfield’s 17 game win streak is in the past, but don’t get us wrong, the Condors remain a very dominant team. They are third this week.

Grand Rapids stays fourth in a clouded top of the Central Division and there was much debate over Bridgeport and Belleville, but the Sound Tigers get the five spot while the Senators point streak continues.

Click past the Sound Tigers if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team, if not already mentioned above, ended up this week.

1	Last Week: BNG 2 @ CHA 4, BNG 1 @ CHA 8
	Checkers are over the bump in the road they had a few weeks ago and are on a four game win streak. Important games this weekend in Allentown.
+5	This Week: @ LV 3/8, @ LV 3/10
Record: 38-14-6-1

2	Last Week: LV 0 @ SYR 4, RCH 5 @ SYR 3, SYR 4 @ RCH 1, SYR 5 @ UTI 3
	Sole possession of first now in the North. Rematch with Utica tomorrow before trips to Pennsylvania to close out the week.
+6	This Week: vs. UTI 3/8, @ WBS 3/9, @ LAV 3/13
Record: 36-17-3-2

3	Last Week: IA 1 @ BAK 0, SJ 2 @ BAK 5, BAK 8 @ SJ 4
	17 game win streak ended Friday, but the Condors look like a team that can just start another one.
-2	This Week: @ STK 3/8, @ SJ 3/9, vs. SD 3/13
Record: 35-15-2-1

4	Last Week: GR 4 @ RFD 5 (OT), TEX 2 @ GR 5
	Tied on points with Chicago, a point a head of Iowa. Rinse and repeat. Central Division race shaping up to be down to the wire.
n/a	This Week: vs. IA 3/8, @ MIL 3/9,
Record: 32-17-5-4

5	Last Week: BRI 4 @ HER 1, BRI 3 @ LV 1
	Have won seven straight and are 9-0-1 in last ten and solidifying themselves as the two seed in the Atlantic, barring an unforeseen collapse.
n/a	This Week: @ RCH 3/8, @ TOR 3/10
Record: 35-18-5-2

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There are more than a few really important games this weekend for teams in and out of the playoff picture as we hit the stretch driver here in the beginning of March.

Bakersfield, winners of seventeen straight, host second place San Jose for a home and home.

Rochester and Syracuse, seemingly joined at the hip since the beginning of the season, face off in a home and home.

Colorado hosts fourth place Tucson. The Roadrunners and Eagles each have 56 points.

Wilkes-Barre, a team that has made the postseason for sixteen straight years, is in Providence this Friday.

As for this weeks top five, not much has changed but for Bridgeport moving up to the five spot. After the Sound Tigers, jump past if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1	Last Week: BAK 2 @ TUC 0, BAK 3 @ TUC 1
	17 in a row for Bakersfield who are approaching rarefied air. It’s really a point now of how high the streak can go. Does it survive this weekend?
n/a	This Week: vs. IA 3/1, vs. SJ 3/2, @ SJ 3/6
Record: 33-15-2-1

2	Last Week: HER 4 @ WBS 2, RFD 2 @ HER 3 (SO), HER 1 @ BRI 5, HER 4 @ HFD 1
	Point streak ended in Bridgeport Sunday and the Bears were in one late Wednesday in Hartford before rattling off four goals to beat the Wolf Pack. More tough games ahead this week.
n/a	This Week: @ UTI 3/1, vs. BRI 3/2
Record: 32-21-0-3

3	Last Week: BEL 5 @ BNG 3, BEL 5 @ RCH 3
	This team keeps rolling. Fifteen game point streak. But, are they peaking at the wrong time?
+2	This Week: vs. MTB 3/1, vs. MTB 3/2
Record: 29-23-2-4

4	Last Week: TEX 3 @ GR 4 (SO), GR 2 @ CHI 3
	Not a bad week. There are a lot of teams fighting to get in and stay in the Central race. The Griffins are soundly in, for now.
n/a	This Week: @ RFD 3/1, vs. TEX 3/6
Record: 31-17-4-4

5	Last Week: BRI 5 @ PRO 4 (OT), SPR 3 @ BRI 4 (SO), HER 1 @ BRI 5
	That game against Hershey Sunday was a huge test that the Sound Tigers passed, remaining six points clear of the Bears for second. You can probably start buying the ink for the playoff tickets.
+1	This Week: @ HER 3/2, @ LV 3/3
Record: 33-18-5-2

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There are just two months remaining in the season and there are teams solidifying themselves as playoff contenders, teams making a push and teams that you can write off. We try to make sense of it all in this weeks version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The Troy Mann Effect is being felt. Three teams that once employed Mann are in the top five this week leading off with the Bakersfield Condors who are turning some heads and are trying to make a run at the 28 games that the Norfolk Admirals won in a row a few years back. Fifteen wins in a row now for Bakersfield. Is it a fluke? Is sixteen a real streak? It’s going to be interesting to see how far this group of characters can go.

The Hershey Bears are back, jack. Fifteen game point streak for the Bears heading into the Facebook Watch game of the week against Wilkes-Barre Friday.

We don’t do ties here, but if we did, Rochester and Syracuse would be locked at the hip.

Grand Rapids remains fourth and Belleville debuts this week in the top five. Go past the Senators to see where your favorite team ended up.

1	Last Week: BAK 7 @ ONT 6, ONT 1 @ BAK 2 (OT)
	Fifteen straight wins for Bakersfield, tied for fourth longest winning streak of all time. Bakersfield is winning offensive road game explosions like Friday and tight home game contests like Saturday. Impressive.
n/a	This Week: @ TUC 2/23, @ TUC 2/25
Record: 31-15-2-1

2	Last Week: LV 2 @ HER 3 (SO), HER 4 @ LV 3
	Impressive turnaround for the Bears, fifteen game point streak looking to continue that run in rival Wilkes-Barre Friday.
n/a	This Week: @ WBS 2/22, vs. RFD 2/23, @ BRI 2/24, @ HFD 2/27
Record: 29-20-0-3

3	Last Week: SYR 1 @ RCH 0, RCH 3 @ SYR 2 (SO), BNG 1 @ RCH 5, CLE 2 @ RCH 4
	Rochester can’t shake Syracuse at all. Both clubs are 6-3-0-1 in their last ten. They split a home and home series this past week. Division play continues this week for your North Division leaders.
+2	This Week: @ UTI 2/22, vs. BEL 2/23, @ UTI 2/27
Record: 32-16-3-2

4	Last Week: SA 1 @ GR 5, SA 2 @ GR 3 (OT), RFD 3 @ GR 2 (OT)
	Division leader got points out of every game this week. That’s just fine.
n/a	This Week: vs. TEX 2/22, @ CHI 2/23
Record: 30-16-4-4

5	Last Week: CLE 2 @ BEL 1 (SO), CLE 2 @ BEL 4, LAV 3 @ BEL 4 (OT)
	13 game point streak for the Senators. Seems all of Troy Mann’s current and prior teams (Bakersfield and Hershey) are having success right about now.
+4	This Week: @ BNG 2/22, @ RCH 2/23
Record: 27-23-2-4

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Well, for the first time in some time, the Charlotte Checkers are no where to be located in this weeks edition of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings Top Five.

For that matter, the San Jose Barracuda are no where to be located as well.

That is because a trio of teams have usurped those two mainstays, with a few more teams just outside the top five in the top ten ready to join them.

Bakersfield, Hershey and Providence are the teams to beat right now. Good luck, cause no one has had any success in beating these teams of late.

Grand Rapids and Rochester lead their respective divisions and round out the top five, but are being hotly pursued for the spots.

After the Americans, jump in to see where everyone else ended up this week if you didn’t link in direct.

1	Last Week: SJ 1 @ BAK 3, SD 1 @ BAK 7, STK 1 @ BAK 4
	At this point it’s just not fair. 13 wins in a row for Bakersfield and they are winning these games in decisive fashion. No reason to think that the Condors slow down this week against Ontario.
+1	This Week: @ ONT 2/15, vs. ONT 2/16
Record: 29-15-2-1

2	Last Week: CHA 2 @ HER 3 (SO), CHA 1 @ HER 2, WBS 3 @ HER 4 (SO)
	We seriously considered giving Hershey the number one spot, but Bakersfield ekes out the Bears for the number one spot. This week. Big series with Lehigh Valley.
+1	This Week: vs. LV 2/16, @ LV 2/17
Record: 27-20-0-3

3	Last Week: BRI 1 @ PRO 2, PRO 2 @ BRI 4, SYR 0 @ PRO 4
	12 game point streak ended Saturday in Bridgeport, but Providence trounced a rested Syracuse team coming in Sunday. This Bruins team is for real.
+3	This Week: vs. TOR 2/15, vs. CHA 2/16, vs. SPR 2/17
Record: 26-17-6-1

4	Last Week: WBS 1 @ GR 4, CHI 4 @ GR 1
	On winning and losing ends of 4-1 decisions this weekend. San Antonio drops in this weekend, no easy task.
+3	This Week: vs. SA 2/15, vs. SA 2/16, vs. RFD 2/20
Record: 28-16-3-4

5	Last Week: SPR 1 @ RCH 7, RCH 2 @ UTI 5, RCH 2 @ CLE 5
	Is the lead that the Amerks have on the North Division starting to slip? Home and home with the Crunch are going to shed some light on the question.
n/a	This Week: vs. SYR 2/15, @ SYR 2/16, vs. BNG 2/17, vs. CLE 2/20
Record: 29-15-3-2

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Week 18 has come and gone and we are finally past that All-Star hangover. Things are beginning to take shape in the division and the finish should be fun.

There has been a shakeup to the top five this week. San Jose remains the top team. However, they are followed closely by the two hottest teams in the AHL, the Bakersfield Condors who have won ten straight games and the Hershey Bears who have a ten game point streak.

Charlotte hasn’t dropped out of the top five after a pair of overtime setbacks to the Providence Bruins this weekend and stay fourth and Rochester rounds out the top five, for now.

Peek through if you didn’t link in direct to see where the rest of the teams ended up this week.

1	Last Week: SJ 6 @ STK 4, STK 2 @ SJ 4, IA 4 @ SJ 2
	Roy Sommer earned his 750th AHL win on Friday. Barracuda stay hot in a division which has been one of the best.
n/a	This Week: @ BAK 2/8, @ ONT 2/10, vs. TUC 2/12
Record: 26-9-2-4

2	Last Week: IA 2 @ BAK 5, BAK 6 @ ONT 2
	Ten wins in a row for the Bakersfield Condors. Pulled themselves up from mediocrity and head into a huge matchup against the San Jose Barracuda this weekend.
+6	This Week: vs. SJ 2/8, vs. SD 2/9, vs. STK 2/13
Record: 26-15-2-1

3	Last Week: LV 1 @ HER 2, BEL 2 @ HER 3 (SO), HER 4 @ SPR 2
	Ten straight games without a regulation loss for the Bears who are on fire. Huge tests this weekend against Charlotte followed by a midweek matchup against a pissed off Penguins team looking to continue their playoff streak.
+3	This Week: vs. CHA 2/9, vs. CHA 2/10, vs. WBS 2/13
Record: 24-20-0-3

4	Last Week: PRO 2 @ CHA 1 (OT), PRO 1 @ CHA 0 (OT), CLE 1 @ CHA 3, CLE 5 @ CHA 1
	You could say that the Checkers are slipping, but with a 12 point lead on the division and a 9 point lead on overall best team in the AHL, does it really matter?
-2	This Week: @ HER 2/9, @ HER 2/10
Record: 32-12-6-0

5	Last Week: RCH 3 @ BNG 2, RCH 4 @ HFD 1, SYR 2 @ RCH 1 (SO)
	Still hold the division lead, but for how long? Crunch are coming.
-2	This Week: vs. SPR 2/8, @ UTI 2/9, @ CLE 2/12
Record: 28-13-3-2

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