The Dauphin Kings are firing on all cylinders and the Canadian Junior Hockey (CJHL) League has noticed.
In the CJHL Top 20 rankings this week, the Kings are ranked 12th. Dauphin extended their winning streak to five games on Saturday after posting a 6-4 win against the Selkirk Steelers. During their hot streak, the Kings downed the defending league champion Winkler Flyers twice to go along with wins against the Blues and Freeze.
16 games into their season, the Kings have racked up 12 wins which is tied for the most in the league with Steinbach, Selkirk and Portage. Dauphin sits fourth in the league with 61 goals and their 37 goals against are the second-fewest, only behind Steinbach.
Dauphin's 181 penalty minutes are also the second-fewest in the league. Their penalty kill is tied with Niverville for the best in the league at 86.2%. Dauphin's power play is sitting third at 27%. The Kings have a massive weekend coming up with two games at Credit Union Place.
They welcome the Steinbach Pistons to town on Friday. Steinbach is tied for the league lead with Selkirk as both teams have 25 points. Sitting with 24, the Kings could jump into first place overall in the league with a win in regulation. Then on Sunday, the Kings welcome the Steelers to town. Dauphin has a slight one-point advantage over the Northern Manitoba Blizzard for first place in the MGEU West Division, with a game in hand.
The following are the CJHL Top 20 rankings – Fuelled by Gatorade, as of Nov. 4:
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK)
1. Rockland Nationals (CCHL) (1)
2. Edmundston Blizzard (MHL) (2)
3. Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) (4)
4. Leamington Flyers (OJHL) (3)
5. Greater Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL) (6)
6. Summerside Western Capitals (MHL) (5)
7. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (9)
8. Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) (13)
9. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) (12)
10. Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL) (18)
11. Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) (16)
12. Dauphin Kings (MJHL) (NR)
13. Canmore Eagles (AJHL) (8)
14. Condors du Cégep Beauce-Appalaches (LHJAAAQ) (19)
15. Braves de Valleyfield (LHJAAAQ) (11)
16. Haliburton County Huskies (OJHL) (10)
17. Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) (20)
18. Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL) (14)
19. Hearst Lumberjacks (NOJHL) (NR)
20. Thunder Bay North Stars (SIJHL) (17)
HONOURABLE MENTION: Battlefords North Stars (SJHL); Selkirk Steelers (MJHL); Toronto Patriots (OJHL); Collingwood Blues (OJHL); Navan Grads (CCHL)
