The Heritage Junior B playoffs are just over a month away, and the race towards the post-season is well underway. With changes to the playoffs for the 2009-2010 season, three teams will be on the outside looking in when the HJHL's second season begins in mid-February.
NORTH DIVISION
The Blackfalds Wranglers are having a season to remember, and continue to play strong hockey, sporting a 22-1-1 record after 24 games this season. With the leauge's top three scorers, a strong defensive core and solid goaltending, the Wranglers look poised to finish tops in the North again this season. If anyone in the division is going to give the Wranglers a run for the division crown, it'll come in the form of the Red Deer Vipers. The Wranglers arch-rivals continue to stay solidly in second place, keeping a firm grip on the position, while still trying to chase down Blackfalds. The Stettler Lightning have taken a bit of a step back this season, sitting eight games under .500...a far cry from last season's 26-9-0-1 finish. The Bolts are just five points up on the Rimbey Rock for third in the division, and that's where the dogfight begins. The Rock are in the middle of a trying time, but continue to hold down the fourth and final playoff spot in the North. With just a three point lead on the Ponoka Stampeders, the Rock will need to play at least .500 hockey over the next ten games to ensure a playoff spot. For the Stamps, a playoff berth would be a huge boost for a club that looked to have a cloudy future just one year ago.
SOUTH DIVISION
Much like the Wranglers, the Okotoks Bisons have been taking care of business in the South this season. At 21-1-1-2, the Bisons currently hold the #1 spot in the HJHL overall standings. Their 116 goals for isn't a a lot for a team leading the division, but the teams 2.23 goals against average is the best in the league, taking a "defense first" approach to success this season. The 2,3,4 spots in the South look to be locked up, but it's anyone's guess who will end up where. The Medicine Hat Cubs currently sit second in the division, but they're just four points up on the third place Coaldale Copperheads, and only nine up on fourth place High River. The Flyers have shown at times this season that they can play with the best in the league, while the Copperheads are almost always successful on home ice. It's likely that the Strathmore Wheatland Kings are going to be the odd team out of the playoffs this season in the South, but never say never. The Wheaties upset the Central leading Airdrie Thunder (2-0) recently, and if more efforts like that can be displayed over the next 12 games, the Kings may have an outside shot of being in the mix, but at this point, it doesn't look likely.
CENTRAL DIVISION
The Airdire Thunder haven't quite looked like themselves to start 2010, and their lead in the Central Division is by the slimmest of margins. For most of the season, the Thunder were the top dog in the Central, and are pretty much on pace to end this year much like they did last season, on top of the division. But that finish won't repeat itself if the Three Hills Thrashers have anything to say about it. The Thrashers are just one point behind the Thunder for tops in the Central, and would love to grab that number one spot heading into the post season. Airdrie and Three Hills may battle it out for number-one, but trailing by only 7 points, the Cochrane Generals will try and slide into that spot or even the number two spot, as they look to secure home-ice in the post-season. The fourth and final playoff berth in the Central looks to belong to the Mountainview Colts, who have played much better following a poor start to the year. Unfortunately for the Banff Academy Bears, it seems with just 11 games left in the season, they may be too far out of it this year. Is 9 points too much to overcome? No. But with Back to back games against Airdrie this month, a pair with Medicine Hat, and a meeting with Cochrane and Three Hills, it might be just too large an obstacle for the Bears to climb.
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