POWER RANKINGS: A's On Top as Playoffs Rolls Near

by Owen Munro

1. COQUITLAM ADANACS - 15-2-1

LAST WEEK: W v. Poco, 11-6; W v. Nanaimo, 11-7; W v. Langley, 11-5; W v. Delta 14-5

THIS WEEK: at Burnaby, Monday July 2

The Adanacs have returned back to the top of the BCJALL standings thanks to a dominant stretch where they are potting a ton of goals and not allowing much to go in the other way. 

Christian Del Bianco has started the last four games and has been stellar in each performance, including another great game last night against the Poco Saints. The streaking Saints came out of the last tilt with Coquitlam with a tie and were aiming to take sole control of second place. Despite four third-period goals, Del Bianco only allowed two through the first two frames. 

With CDB in net, Coquitlam will still be considered heavy favourites to win the league and BC's spot in the Minto, but some other teams are strengthening in order to take a shot. 

2. PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS - 11-4-2

LW: L v. Coquitlam, 11-6; W v. Victoria, 10-9; W v. Delta, 16-5

TW: v. New West, Friday June 29; at Nanaimo, Saturday June 30; at Burnaby, Tuesday July 3

Despite last night's loss to the A's, the Saints are tied with the 'Bellies for second-spot, but it's increasingly looking like the road to challenging Coquitlam will go down to these two teams. With New West adding Ryan Jones from Delta, it will be interesting to see what Poco has in the cards to give them the best chance to compete. 

The Saints were able to dispatch Victoria last weekend on the second-half of a back-to-back, and a lot of that is due to the way the defense and penalty kill are performing. The Saints kill 77% of penalties for the season, but they don't take a lot of them; not a lot of shots are allowed either, making the job of Cam Overby easier.

3. NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES - 12-4

LW: W v. Langley, 11-8; W v. Nanaimo, 13-8; W v. Burnaby, 18-4

TW: at Poco, Friday June 29; v. Nanaimo, Monday July 2; v. Langley, Tuesday July 3

It was a great bounce-back week for the 'Bellies, who put together tree wins to vault themselves back into the conversation for second-place. They dispatched three teams they were favoured over to get there, but the accomplishment means they can start building momentum as the playoffs draw nearer. 

Adding Ryan Jones in the mix gives the 'Bellies another threat offensively, and that's on top of the depth trades they already made for Mack Jones and Patrick Bayliss. New West is trying to build the most complete roster, 1 through 25, and these three transactions will go along way to determining the Salmonbellies' destiny this season. 

4. VICTORIA SHAMROCKS - 10-6-1

LW: W v. Nanaimo, 18-5; L v. Poco, 10-9 

TW: v. Langley, Saturday June 30; at Delta, Monday July 2

Victoria has fallen back in the pack after looking especially dangerous just a few weeks ago, but they're still favourites over Langley for the fourth playoff spot. 

This week's second star, Marshal King, has been lighting the lamp since returning to the 'Rocks lineup. He will be needed along the way if Victoria ends up with the unenviable task of trying to unseat the Adanacs. Another player who will also be relied upon is goalie Cameron Dunkerley, who has an uneven first season in BC but has flashed major potential.   

5. LANGLEY THUNDER - 8-7-1

LW: L v. Coquitlam 11-5; W v. Delta, 7-6; L v. New West, 11-8

TW: v. Burnaby, Tonight; at Victoria, Saturday June 30; v. Langley, Tuesday July 3

As Gary Ahuja noted in his most recent article on the Thunder website, it's almost do-or-die time for the Thunder. They sit four points behind the Victoria Shamrocks, but do have a game in hand along the way. 

The Langley Junior Thunder’s post-season hopes took a big hit on Tuesday night as they were on the wrong end of an 11-8 score to the New Westminster Junior Salmonbellies at Queen’s Park Arena.

The defeat dropped Langley to 8-7-1 and four points back of the fourth and final playoff spot in the BC Junior A Lacrosse League. The Thunder have just five games remaining but do hold a game in hand on the team they are chasing, the Victoria Junior Shamrocks.

http://thunder.bcjall.com/news/big-hole-for-jr-thunder-to-climb

6. DELTA ISLANDERS - 5-13

LW: L v. Coquitlam, 14-5; L v. Poco, 16-5; L v. Langley, 7-6; W v. Burnaby, 9-7

TW: v. Victoria, Monday July 2

The Islanders have traded two of their more critical offensive players in Ryan Jones and Riley Phillips to New Westminster and Okotoks, respectively, but that only means the club's younger talent will be given the reigns to run that end of the floor the rest of the season. 

Look for players like Dawson Trimble, Sekawnee Baker, Haiden Dickson and Liam Macdonald to showcase their abilities over the final three games. 

Despite having a 5-13 record, the Islanders have been quite competitive. They put a complete 60-minute effort in a win over Burnaby, and took Langley right to the wire in a 7-6 loss. But they now have a stable of draft picks and a promising young player in Mason Morais to help look towards the future. 

7. NANAIMO TIMBERMEN - 2-15

LW: L v. Victoria, 18-5; L v. Coquitlam, 11-7; L v. New West, 13-8

TW: v. Poco, Saturday June 30; at New West, Monday July 2

The T-Men played three tough games over the last week or so, but while they were blown out by their Island rivals in Victoria, they were quite competitive against the Adanacs and Salmonbellies. 

They only lost to the league's current top two teams by a score 24-15 with some players really starting to show their potential in the next two or three seasons. Ryan Sheridan had 7 points in those two games, while Cole Christiansen, Wilson Gurney and Ari Stevens all flashed potential. 

Nanaimo's schedule ends with a game against the Lakers that may decide who gets ownership of the No. 1 overall pick in this winter's Entry Draft. 

8. BURNABY LAKERS - 2-14-1

LW: L v. New West, 18-4; L v. Delta, 9-7

TW: at Langley, Tonight; v. Coquitlam, Monday July 2; at Poco, Tuesday July 3

The Lakers have dismantled much of the top half of their team in order to not only give some veterans the opportunity to play in a Minto Cup with Okotoks, but to replenish the cupboard with some assets for the future. 

Goaltender Elijah Uema-Martin, Mason Pomeroy and Kyle Durec are off to Okotoks and Saskatoon to join those two clubs' quests to show well in the Minto.

A tough loss to the Delta Islanders puts them at 8th in this edition of the Power Rankings, but they have the chance to turn that around if they can play spoiler against the Langley Thunder and Poco Saints.