Go, go, go!

3 games in 3 nights.
6 points on the line.
Can your team grab them all?

Well in the case of the Everett Silvertips, they did. Just a little while ago the Tips were sitting in the bottom of the US Division, but with their third win of the weekend a 4-2 win over the Tri-City Americans they've catapulted themselves into a tie for 3rd place of the Western Conference. The Tips had previously beat the Kamloops Blazer 4-2 on Friday and then the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 on Saturday.

Their record sits at 11-8-1-3 for 26 points in 23 games after their 3 wins in 3 nights. The Tips are in 4th place in the US Division & 5th place in the Western Conference.

Blackhawks prospect Kent Simpson started the games against the Thunderbirds & the Americans and turned in two solid efforts. He stopped 29 of 31 in Seattle and 37 of 39 in Tri-City.



The Spokane Chiefs had 3 games of their own this weekend but didn't fare as well as the Tips did dropping 2 of their 3 games. The Chiefs lost Friday's game against the Thunderbirds 2-1 in Seattle, took an 8-3 pounding at the hand of the Americans but ended the weekend on a good note by beating the powerhouse Portland Winterhawks 3-1.

Their record sits at 11-9-1-1 for 24 points in 22 games. They are in last place in the US Division & 7th in the Western Conference.



After the Portland Winterhawks and their 20-4-1 record and 41 points the Western Conference is wide open. Only 6 points separates the second place (the BC Division leader) and tenth place teams.
Amazingly in the US Division every team has a winning percentage of over .500. Just 2 points separate 2nd place in the division from 5th.

It's clear that the Portland Winterhawks are the cream of the WHL crop with their record. They've won 14 of their last 16 games and that includes a road trip to the East Division. But after the Winterhawks, the US Division is a crap shoot until someone else pulls away from the pack. As of right now the T-Birds, Ams & Tips all have the same amount of points each with 26. Though the T-Birds have 2 games in hand over both the Ams & Tips. The last place Chiefs also are only 2 points behind the middle three.

As always the US Division is one of the toughest & tightest in all of the WHL.

On the other end of the spectrum last year's WHL Champion Calgary Hitmen are sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 5-16-1-0 record for 11 points in 22 games which makes for a winning percentage of just .250. They have the worst record in the WHL. Ouch.
What a difference a year makes!

In comparison 10th & last place in the Western Conference are the Kamloops Blazers who have a record of 11-11-0-1 for 23 points in 23 games, sit at .500.



Hopefully this Wednesday(if I don't get snowed in) I'll get to take in my first Winterhawks home game as they take on the Silvertips in the Great Airplane Toss game. I'll get to see the best team in the WHL in action again & hopefully the Tips can slay the giant. So look for a blog about that if the snow doesn't stop me.

Have a great start to your week everybody!