Power Rankings: Week 8

Carlos Verde, Communications Manager

1. Carleton Place Canadians (18-2-1) | LW: 1 (–) | Results: 5-3W v NAV, 5-1W @ PEM, 5-0W v SF | Nine in a row. Geoff Kitt’s on an eight-game point streak. Next.
2. Ottawa Jr. Senators (14-3-2) | LW: 2 (–) | Results: 5-3W v NEP, 7-1W @ KAN | The Jr. Sens offence roared to life with the return of Owen Guy, who scored three goals in his first two games back. Conor Smart recorded a hat-trick, and premier set-up man Chiwetin Blacksmith tallied five assists. Ottawa’s firing on all cylinders.
3. Hawkesbury Hawks (10-5-0) | LW: 3 (–) | Results:  4-0W @ BRO | The Hawks just continue to roll, and have the third-best winning percentage (.667) in the league; goaltender Matt Petizian has posted a .967 sv% and a pair of shutouts over his last four starts. Their leadership core — ft. David Jankowski, Colin Stevens and Chris Smith — is amongst the league’s best.
4. Brockville Braves (11-9-0) | LW: 4 (–) | Results: 4-0L v HAW, 4-3W @ ROC | The Braves continue to be a more-or-less .500 team, but have the makings of something more — especially following the acquisition of Tyson Kirkby on Tuesday. A gutsy road effort in Rockland on Sunday — spearheaded by Jordi Jefferson’s two-goal effort — shows their potential.
5. Rockland Nationals (11-6-2) | LW: 5 (–) | Results: 3-2W @ KEM, 4-3L v BRO | If there’s one thing the Rockland Nationals are consistently doing, it’s playing close hockey games: The Nats have had their last four games decided by a single goal. Still, not the most convincing win over last-place Kemptville.
6. Cornwall Colts (9-9-2) | LW: 6 (–) | Results: 3-2OTW v SF, 3-1L @ KAN | It was a week of mixed results in a season of mixed results for Ian MacInnis’s Colts, who reversed two deficits to beat Smiths Falls in OT before a disappointing road effort in Kanata. Liam Lascelle and Michael Carr form one of the better goalie batteries in the league.
7. Nepean Raiders (7-9-0) | LW: 7 (–) | Results:  5-3L @ OJS, 4-2W v NAV | ‘Twas a decent week for Darcy Findlay’s Raiders, who put a scare in OJS before a steady win on home ice Sunday against Navan. The acquisition of defenceman Noah Rowe from Kemptville shores up what was previously a questionable blueline.
8. Pembroke Lumber Kings (10-8-0) | LW: 8 (+1) | Results: 5-1L v CP, 6-2W v KEM | Dale McTavish’s Lumber Kings are a team that’s difficult to read, as you don’t know which Pembroke team will show up on any given night. They flexed their offensive muscles against the lifeless 73’s, but were played off the rink in their school-day game by first-place C.P. — are they somewhere in the middle?
9. Kanata Lasers (8-9-3) | LW: 9 (-1) | Results: 7-1L v OJS, 3-1W v COR | Kanata is another team that continues to be something of an enigma under Nathan Hewitt; they have the talent to take care of middle-of-the-pack teams, but simply can’t match the league’s elite. Jack Quinn has cooled off, with just a single assist in his last three games — that has to be a concern.
10. Navan Grads (5-11-0) | LW: 10 (+1) | Results: 2-1L @ CP, 4-2L @ NEP | The Grads put in solid if unspectacular road efforts, but as HC Tony Iob lamented: “Only wins count.” Captain Zach Salloum had a pair of goals in his 10/22 return, and that bodes well for Navan’s offensive output — specifically the powerplay.
11. Smiths Falls Bears (6-12-1) | LW: 11 (-1) | Results: 3-2OTL @ COR, 5-0L @ CP | The Bears have claimed just one point of their last possible 14. Mark Grady’s team is in free fall; unable to keep the puck out of their net and offensively impotent, they’re 1-7-1 in October.
12. Kemptville 73’s (3-15-1) | LW: 12 (–) | Results: 3-2L v ROC, 6-2L @ PEM | The 73’s are 1-7 in the month of October, and traded captain and leading scorer Tyson Kirkby to Brockville for less-offensive pieces. They’re 12 points out of a playoff spot and we’re still in October.