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Raiders Rank Second in Final Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings

March 20, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Toronto, Ont. - The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week twenty-six and final edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2018-19 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL's Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

The Western Hockey League's regular-season champion Prince Albert Raiders earned the second spot in the final week of the rankings. The Raiders claimed the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the second time in franchise history as they topped the WHL standings with a 54-10-2-2 record. They'll open the 2019 WHL Playoffs against the wild card Red Deer Rebels. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series will be held at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, March 22 (7:00 p.m. MT). The Raiders were ranked in the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for 24 of the 26 weeks.

Finishing the season with the top record in the WHL's Western Conference, the Giants rose a spot to sixth in the final weekly rankings. A 2-1 win against the Kelowna Rockets Friday helped to secure the Giants' position at the top, setting up a first round WHL Playoffs matchup against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Their series begins Friday, March 22 (7:30 p.m. PT) at the Langley Events Centre. Overall, the Giants made it into the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for 18 of the 26 weeks.

Rising a spot to ninth this week were the U.S. Division champion Everett Silvertips. Everett claimed their third consecutive division title this season thanks in large part to Western Conference Goaltender of the Year Dustin Wolf. The 2019 NHL Draft prospect recorded a franchise record and league-leading 41 wins while also leading WHL goaltenders with a 1.69 goals-against-average and a .936 save percentage. His seven shutouts ranked second. In a rematch of the 2018 Western Conference Championship, the Silvertips will take on the wild card Tri-City Americans in the first round of the 2019 WHL Playoffs. The series will begin with Game 1 at Angel of the Winds Arena on Friday, March 22 (7:35 p.m. PT). The Silvertips were in the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for 17 of 26 weeks this season.

Earning honourable mentions this week were the Edmonton Oil Kings and Saskatoon Blades. The Oil Kings claimed their first Central Division banner since 2014 thanks to a 42-18-4-4 record. They'll face the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of the 2019 WHL Playoffs with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday, March 23 (7:30 p.m. MT) at Rogers Place.

The Blades will enter the 2019 WHL Playoffs as the second-seeded team in the East Division and will hold home-ice advantage against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Their best-of-seven series begins Friday, March 22 (7:00 p.m. MT) at the SaskTel Centre.

Be sure to catch all the action of the 2019 WHL Playoffs on WHL Live. Packages are available for purchase now.

Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings - Week 26:

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:

1 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (59-8-0-1)* 1 23

2 Prince Albert Raiders (54-10-2-2)* 2 24

3 Drummondville Voltigeurs (52-13-2-1)* 3 21

4 Ottawa 67's (50-12-4-2)* 4 23

5 London Knights (46-15-6-1)* 5 22

6 Vancouver Giants (48-15-3-2)* 7 18

7 Baie-Comeau Drakkar (49-15-2-2)* 6 24

8 Halifax Mooseheads (49-15-2-2)* 8 26

9 Everett Silvertips (47-16-2-3)* 10 17

10 Saginaw Spirit (45-17-3-3)* 9 6

Honourable Mention:

Saskatoon Blades (45-15-8-0) - 2

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (44-16-7-1) - 8

Edmonton Oil Kings (42-18-4-4)* - 1

Niagara IceDogs (44-17-7-0)* - 10

*denotes final Division winners

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