After dropping their second straight game, the Dauphin Kings were bounced from the Canadian Junior Hockey League's (CJHL) Top-20 rankings.
Three teams from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL); however, do remain on the list. The Rockland Nationals of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) are on top of the rankings with a perfect 8-0 record. They have scored 34 goals while giving up just 11 and have four more points than the Brockville Blades for first place overall.
(#2) The Selkirk Steelers, ranked fifth last week, have jumped to the second spot. With eight wins in their first eight games, Selkirk is the only undefeated team remaining in the MJHL and is six points ahead of both Steinbach and Northern Manitoba for first place overall.
Selkirk has scored 36 goals while giving up 11. They have seven of the league's top 10 scorers with Luke McCarthy leading the way with five goals and eight assists in seven games. In net, returning 20-year-old Noel Olsonawski has been nothing short of outstanding. He's 5-0 with a .967 save percentage and a 0.79 goals-against average. He also has two shutouts across 305 minutes played.
What's next: vs Blues (October 08), @ Waywayseecappo (October 10), vs Neepawa (October 12)
Summerside (3), Edmundston (4), Trenton (5), Melville (6), Brockville (7), and Panthères de St-Jérôme (8) are ranked third to eighth on the list
(#9) They were not ranked last week but are firing on all cylinders as of late. After losing their first game of the season, the Steinbach Pistons have won five straight games and are ranked ninth this week. The Pistons went into the Roy H Johnston Arena this past Friday and Christian Green posted a 24-save shutout as the Pistons downed the Blizzard, 4-0. It was one of the team's most impressive wins this season.
They then put up a six spot the following night against Swan Valley. Returning forward Connor Paronuzzi leads the way with four goals and six assists while Noah Szabo, the team's captain, has two goals and five assists. Green's shutout on Friday was the first of his MJHL career and he's 3-0 this season with a .955 save percentage to go along with a 1.00 goals-against average.
Steinbach has allowed just nine goals this year, tied for the fewest in the league with Dauphin.
What's next: vs Niverville (October 12), @ Neepawa (October 13), vs Northern Manitoba (October 18)
Melfort (10), Amherst (11), Yorkton (12), Greater Sudbury (13), Calgary (14), Braves de Valleyfield (15), Burlington (16), Drumheller (17), Leamington (18), Timmins (19), Thunder Bay (20) round out the remaining list in the Top 20.
(HR) The Northern Manitoba Blizzard finds themselves as honourable mentions this week. With five wins in their first seven games, the Blizzard have a two-point lead over Dauphin for first place in the West Division. Marlen Edwards and Cheechoo Lathlin lead the way offensively with nine points apiece.
19-year-old Alex Reedy of Stillwater, MN, has been impressive between the pipes winning all of the team's five games with a .918 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average. With his 360 minutes played, Reedy has played the most in the league, with one minute more than Cole Sheffield of Dauphin.
The Blizzard made it to the second round last year where they lost to Steinbach in game seven and are again expected to be a threat this season.
What's next: vs Virden (October 08), @Niverville (October 11), @ Blues (October 12)