Q2 Power Rankings

Unfortunately, there appears to be a bit of a technical issue with the league website but don’t worry, Chris Guerra and all of the league’s IT resources are on it like a nice big rebound. Hopefully they can get things sorted out quickly, so we don’t have to listen to Justin Graham complain about how many points he’s missing again this year. And although the website may be malfunctioning, a quick glance around the league will tell you there isn’t much parity this season. However, the playoffs are quickly approaching, and everyone knows that the big ice and a full roster can suddenly bring your team’s season to a screeching halt. And really, at the end of the day, no one cares about how you do in the regular season anyways, or even who wins the playoffs. The real glory, some say immortality, can be found in these NBC Power Rankings.

RANKING	STATUS
# 1 (-) 15-5-0	Vandevall has maintained the pace after their strong start, still sitting near the top of the league standings. Most people looked at this lineup at the start of the season and thought their complete lack of talent would hold them back, but we’re through 20 games and they’re still finding a way to get wins. Perhaps the biggest reason for their success is scoring they’re getting from unlikely sources. Alex Bishop, for example, plays every game like it’s his first time on skates, but still somehow leads this team in scoring. Even middle aged ringette enthusiast Ian McDonald has seen his goal total climb into the low single digits, probably the first time he’s reached that level since his balls dropped. But will these 2 overachievers and the rest of this ragtag group be able to convert their regular season success into playoff results? Only time will tell.
#2 (↑6) 7-11-2	The Assurance hockey team went on a real heater after the last power rankings were released, posting a 7-2 record over a 9 game stretch. While it appeared they finally had things figured out, faster than you can say “drunk man passes out and falls off his barstool”, they immediately went on a 3 game skid. Over this short losing streak, they’ve managed to hold their opposition to just 23 goals, which is why it’s so odd that they haven’t been able to mix in a win. And this skid couldn’t be coming at a worse time either, as tax season is quickly approaching, which will likely cost them top end players such as Kaszarowski and Shoniker. Most outsiders don’t believe this squad has enough depth to overcome the loss of their athletic accountants. They could hope for some contributions from former sponsor Jeff Carsey, but with only a few games left, why would he start now?
#3 (↓1) 15-3-2	That loud noise Assurance can hear on their heels is team Korol, on a mission to climb to the top of these rankings and tell everyone all about it. Second time sponsor Zack Korol is carrying this team like a $100 tray of egg McMuffins. He’s been making all the right moves to; with his roster, the apparel, and his decisions to shorten the bench (often limiting himself to 1-2 shifts per period). You can say what you want about his methods, it’s the moves he’s been making that have led Korol to go 9-2-1 in their last 12. They’re the highest scoring team in the league and among the stingiest teams for goals against, a combination that shows a very strong correlation with winning in this league. And, perhaps even more remarkable, they’re doing all of this in spite of Devon Brown being on the team! We’ll see if this team can stay hot and make a deep run in the playoffs, or if they’ll flame out in the tournament, as Jamie Emms’ teams so often do.
#4(↓1) 11-5-4	The Mortgage Teacher has cooled slightly after their hot start but was still playing over 0.500 hockey across their past 12 games. Fortunately, their record is already strong enough to clinch their spot in the post season, so they have a short window to regroup and get themselves set for the playoffs. This team has put up solid stats this season, but 60% of their scoring is coming from just 3 players: Kevin Moon, Cole Jenner, and the other Risdon. In the past, teams with this type of top-heavy offense have struggled in the playoffs, as the intensity and tighter defensive game play can make things challenging. This team will need more secondary scoring from skilled players like Ian Rand and Sam Hornick, or even just guys who can stand in front of the net and hope it banks in off them like Joe Johnson and Jeff Arnold. Without that added offensive boost, Mike Mullis’ squad may be facing foreclosure much sooner than he hoped at the beginning of the season.
#5(↓1) 9-10-1	With more than half of the league owning a losing record, Blue-Con is in the fortunate position of holding down 4th place. Although not necessarily something to brag about, it’s less embarrassing to show your face around town when you’re in the upper half of the standings. While this team hasn’t put it together quite yet, they have all the pieces you could ever need. I’m not talking about Rhyno, Taz, or Giles; those 3 have a history of wilting under the bright lights. Likewise, Agar and Justin Graham have also been non-factors in past postseasons. And Bobby Raine, what’s he done lately? No, this roster’s secret weapon will be the real big boys: Bachert, Berdan, and Bob Corbeil. Those 3 may not be skilled, or fast, or positionally sound. They might not even have all their own equipment. But what they lack in “traditional” hockey skills, they make up for with low volume scoring, as evidenced by their minimal offensive stats this year. And those are the types of players that typically rise to the occasion in the playoffs and bang in a critical goal…probably because they’re left uncovered. Regardless, the smart money is on those 3 to lead Blue-Con as far as they’re going to go.
#6(↑1) 8-11-1	I sure hope Derek Anderson is good at driving around his big white kidnapping van and whatever else he does for work, because he certainly isn’t capable of drafting a team that can score goals. For the second year in a row, TIGGS is among the lowest scoring teams in the league. Their offence is so shameful that Chris VandenHeuvel, who has the hands of a digital clock, is second in team scoring. Based on their offense, most would expect this team to be battling it out with APC for position in the basement, but somehow they actually have a winning record in their last 12 games, going 6-5-1 over that span. But sometimes you have to be lucky to be good, and lucky for them the schedule had them playing Duncan Harwood, Blue Con, and APC a combined 6 times in that stretch, leading to 5 of those wins. The playoffs could be an eye opener though, as they’ll likely play more than just the cupcake teams in the post season. As long as they don’t have to rely on their goaltending, they could be a sleeper pick to make it out of the round robin.
#7 (↓2) 4-12-4	The only home builder in the league can construct anything but a winning streak. Going 1-9-2 in their last 12 games, Duncan Harwood can’t seem to get things going in the right direction. Fortunately, this group hasn’t lost their optimism yet. Players can regularly be heard offering encouragement to teammates throughout their games. Matt Pollard for example can frequently be heard encouraging goaltender Erik Cochrane with cheers of “good job Cocky” while he is resting on the bench after a hard shift. Coincidently, that’s the same reassuring pep talk he gives to himself at home, after putting in a hard 45 second shift in the bedroom. But it doesn’t matter how many words of encouragement you offer, you simply can’t put a positive spin on Dillon Carey being your team’s second highest scorer. And that’s no offense to Dillon, but it should be to the rest of the roster. If this team can’t start scoring, they’re going to be in a world of trouble come playoff time. With Cochrane between the pipes, they’re going to need a touchdown every game, just to keep it close!
#8 (↓2) 3-15-2	Social media has been a buzz this year, with many keyboard warriors suggesting this is the worst team the league has seen this decade. But are they really that bad? In some ways, yes. In other ways, also yes. They have managed just one win in their last 12 and only 3 overall. It’s actually nearly impossible to lose that often in this league with the caliber of goaltending out there and the statistical probability of running into a team with only 5 skaters for an 8:30 game. Perhaps they should try some offence? They’re the lowest scoring team in the league and have only 1 player who has recorded more than 10 points this year. And while that should be embarrassing for them, once you look at the names on this roster, you will quickly realize that their pathetic output may actually be an overachievement. If Lance isn’t going to carry this team on his back, and his first 20 games suggest he’s not planning on it, then this team would probably be better off trying a sport more in line with their athletic ability. Perhaps pickleball?
	With the regular season finale nearly upon us, there is palpable excitement around the league and in the community. Good luck to everyone, I just hope all the teams have fun!