vees:blog

The defending champs have returned and the BCHL is well represented as Victoria hosts this year’s RBC Cup.

Here’s a brief look at each of the 5 clubs vying for the most prestigious trophy in Junior A Hockey.

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The Vernon Vipers are now ranked 4th in the nation in the latest CJHL Top 15.

The Vipers slide past Salmon Arm as the top ranked team in the BCHL after beating the Silverbacks 2-0 on Saturday Night in Vernon. The Silverbacks dropped to 6th following the first game all season they have been shut-out in.

Also earning ‘Honourable Mentions’ from the BCHL this week are The Lower Mainland Division leading Powell River Kings, and Island Division leading Victoria Grizzlies.

The top ranked team in the country are the defending RBC Cup Champion Humbolt Broncos (SJHL), while Spruce Grove (AJHL) are slotted 2nd and the Winnipeg Saints (MJHL) are 3rd.

The NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau has released their Mid-Term Rankings of players eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Curtis McKenzie is one of 5 players listed from the BCHL among the top 210 North American Skaters. In order, the scouts like:

#93 F - Spencer Bennett (SRY), #119 D - Wes McLoed (PG), #158 F - Curtis McKenzie (PEN), #162 F - Cory Kane (VRN), #165 D - Curtis Gedig (COW).

Here’s the BCHL’s spin.

Previously on the NHL watch list, but failing to make the top 210 players from the BCHL are F - Zac Ashton (NAN), D - Jake Baker (MRT), and D - Matt Ridley (PEN), Baker and Ridley were listed as C-Rated Prospects, while Ashton was a B-Rated Prospect.

The top Ranked Jr ‘A’ player in Canada is Dylan Olsen of the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL). Olsen is the lone AJHL player on in the Rankings.

Elsewhere around Canada, the CJHL has 3 players listed, the OJHL has 2, The SJHL has 1 player listed.

The USHL has the top tier-2 junior (NCAA eligible/non-professional) player ranked in D - John Moore of the Chicago Steel (ranked 8th). 24 USHL-ers made the list of 210 skaters.

The USHL also has 3 Goalies listed among the 30 North American Goalies Ranked compared to just a mention of 1 Canadian Jr ‘A’ goalie (Joseph Quattrocchi of Smith Falls (CJHL)), who didn’t crack the top 30 due to lack of viewing.

The USHL continues to dominate tier 2 Junior. Here’s their release.

Curtis McKenzie and Denver Manderson each had a point as Canada West beat Russia 5-2 last night to earn their first win at the WJAC.

McKenzie scored on the Power Play and was set up by Justin Schultz (Westside Warriors D-man) and Denver Manderson in the 2nd period.

Derek Grant of the Langley Chiefs notched a pair for Canada West in the win that sees the club take over top spot in Group A with 4 points (turns out they did award a point for Canada West’s OTL to Belarus).

Tonight Canada East and the USA battle in Group B action and the final game of the Preliminary Round of play.

Cam Tait has been following the WJAC and says things got ugly after the game last night.

After being shocked 4-3 in a shootout against Belarus on Sunday, Team Canada West faces Russia tonight. All 3 teams both groups (A & B) will advance to the elimination round, but the top seeded team move to the semi-final, rather than play in the quarterfinals.

A win for Canada West Tonight would put the club in a 3 way tie for first in Group A, while a loss or tie would result in the team ranked 3rd (A3). I imagine the tie-breaking formula would involve goals for and against (email me if you know). Mysteriously there is no point awarded for a Shoot-Out Loss in the tournament, which seems silly to me.

Denver Manderson scored shorthanded in the first game of the preliminary round after posting 3 assists in exhibition play, Curtis McKenzie is yet to hit the score sheet.

Here the skinny on the ‘WJAC‘.

The Vees have been dropped from the CJAHL’s all seeing, all knowing, all encompassing National Rankings.

The BCHL has 3 clubs in the Canadian Top 15 click on the link for the full rankings.

BONUS OBSCURE CJAHL TEAM OF THE WEEK: Woodstock Slammers of the Maritime Junior ‘A’ Hockey League.

While the Woodstock Slammers sounds like a great band name, they are actually a hockey team from Woodstock, New Brunswick that are home to the snazziest flash webpage in the CJAHL! Their logo seems to be a crazed Scandinavian Viking that carries around a huge mallet. Woodstock opened their season with a win in Weeks (New Glasgow, NS). Round one of the much feared Smashers/Crushers rivalry!