Caps ranked fourth in final CJHL rankings

SUMMERSIDE – The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals remain at No. 4 in the final Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings for the 2018-19 season.

The Caps, who have clinched the regular-season title and home-ice advantage throughout the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) playoffs, sport a 38-8-2 (won-lost-overtime losses) record. The Caps, winners of four straight, will close out the regular season with home games at Eastlink Arena against the Miramichi Timberwolves (19-25-3) on Thursday and the Campbellton Tigers (29-13-5) on Saturday. Both games are 7 p.m. starts.

The Caps are one of three MHL teams to crack the top-20 rankings. The Yarmouth Mariners (34-9-5) remain at No. 10 while the Amherst Ramblers (35-11-3) move into No. 17 after being an honourable mention last week.

The Brooks Bandits, who ended the regular season on a 33game winning streak, remain the top-ranked junior A team in Canada. Brooks has an Alberta Junior Hockey League-leading record of 57-3-0.

The Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League are third. The North Stars, who have seven regular-season games remaining, are 44-3-2.

The Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League are ranked third. Oakville had a regular-season record of 44-5-1-4 (won-lost-tied-overtime losses).