ODESSA, Texas – After a holiday break here in Odessa, the Pro Hockey News power ranking poll returns to action this week. In the week since our last poll, the Colorado Eagles and Odessa Jackalopes have traded positions in the top spot of the poll.
The Jacks have put some added distance between themselves and the Allen Americans who had seemed poised to threaten for the conference lead. Allen is now 9 points back, but hold two games in hand on Odessa.
For the Eagles, the top spot in the Northern Conference is not nearly as safe. The Rapid City Rush has been playing well and pressuring Colorado and now reside two points back from the Eagles. The Rush has played two more games than the Eagles and those are certainly to the Eagles favor.
At the other end of the league is the Wichita Thunder, with a total of nine points and three wins on the season. Neither home nor the road has been kind to the club. Two wins on home ice and one on the road have made for an ugly season. The Thunder is dead last in total offense with 56 goals and tied for last in goals allowed with 116.
Home ice has not been kind to the Arizona Sundogs either this season. The ‘Dogs have three wins in 14 games in Prescott Valley, half as many as they have on the road.
All in stark contrast to the Jackalopes who have suffered four regulation losses, split evenly between home and road. As with any good team they have defended home ice and gone traveling with success. And the Jacks have been winning by committee. Goals have been contributed by nearly everyone on the roster and no one player is running ahead of the others with scoring. There are no holes in the Odessa lineup and they are winning with solid team work.
Bad news for their Southern Conference rivals.
Happy New Year to all and we will be back next week with the latest power ranking poll.
Contact the author at jeff.reed@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at les.stockton@prohockeynews.com
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