Here’s my partially informed take on how things sort out going into Valencia. I’ve put in bold italics the match-up that I am most interested in for each team, and have not counted exhibitions against AAA teams.
1. Gulls (1) (5-1-1): Beat Sharks (1) 5-3; lost to Ducks (1) 2-1; beat Kings (2) 6-1 and tied Kings (1) at Jamboree. Beat Kings (1) 5-3, PML 8-1 and Ducks (2) 5-0. I put them 1 by virtue of their regulation game win against Kings (1). Valencia match-ups: GSE(2), Kings(1) and Ducks (1). How do they match up against the strongest team from NorCal?
2. Ice Dogs (1) (8-0): Beat Kings (1) 2-1, Reign 3-1, Ducks (2) 3-0, and Ducks (1) 2-1 at Jamboree. Beat Wave 9-1 in scrimmage. Beat Ducks (2) 4-1, Gulls (2) 5-0, and Empire 7-2. Valencia match-ups: Ducks (1), ID (2), Wave, and Kings (1). First game of the weekend and of the CAHA season.
3. GSE (2) (6-0-1): Beat Ducks (2) 5-3, Gulls (2) (1-0), and B’hawks 5-3, and tied Empire 2-2 at Jamboree. Beat GSE (1) 7-0, Sharks (1) 8-3 and Sharks 2 7-1 at pre-Jamboree scrimmages. Valencia match-ups: Gulls (1), ID (2), and B’Hawks. I think GSE (2) will dictate whether this is a run and gun or more controlled game; I think GSE (2) would win a controlled game but can’t wait to see what happens if it becomes a north-south race. My bet for most entertaining game of the weekend.
4. Kings (1) (5-2-1): Lost to Ice Dogs (1) 2-1; Beat Sharks (1) 7-0 and GSE(1) 5-0 and tied Gulls (1) 2-2 at Jamboree. Beat Empire 5-0; lost to Gulls (1) 5-3; beat PML 4-1; beat OC 8-0. Valencia match-ups: Wave, Gulls (1), ID (1), and ID(2). Two losses against the same team would probably relieve K (1) of the pressure of their number 1 MHR ranking.
5. Wave (3-4-1). Tied Ducks (1), beat PML 5-1; lost to B’Hawks 3-2 and ID (2) 2-0 at Jamboree. Lost to Ducks (1) 4-2 Lost to ID (1) 9-1. Beat Ducks (1) 4-3. Beat ID(2) 4-3. Starting to get results on ice that match their talent on paper. Valencia match-ups: Kings (1), ID(1) and ID(2). Have they topped out or improved enough to compete against K (1)?
6. Ice Dogs (2) (5-1-2). Tied Gulls (2), beat GSE (1) 2-0, OC 9-0, and Wave 2-0 at Jamboree. Tied Ducks (2) 6-6, Beat Gulls (2) 10-1 and Kings (2) 11-1. Lost to Wave 4-3. I think they have the toughest schedule for this weekend. Valencia match-ups: ID (1), GSE (2), Wave, and Kings (1). Need to play a full game against the Wave or the weekend could be tough.
7. Empire (3-2-1): Beat GSE (1) 2-1, Ducks (2) 1-0, and Reign 4-2, and tied GSE (2) 2-2 at Jamboree. Beat PML 4-3 and Reign 5-0; lost to Kings (1) 5-0 and ID(1) 7-2. Valencia match-ups: B’hawks and Ducks(1). Empire gets two of the first three games and that’s it for the weekend for them. WTF?!
8. Ducks (1) (6-3-2): Tied Wave 1-1; beat Gulls (1) (2-1) and Sharks (1) 5-1. Lost to Ice Dogs (1) 2-1 at Jamboree. Don’t have all of their scores but beat Wave 4-2, beat Reign 5-0, lost to Kings (1) 5-1; beat Kings (2) 5-3, lost to Wave 4-3; tied Ducks (2) 3-3. Beat OC 3-1. Valencia match-ups: ID(1), Empire, B’hawks, and Gulls(1). Two tough match ups book-end easier ones. Let’s see how they are playing at the end of the weekend against the Gulls.
9. Blackhawks (2-2-1): Lost to Kings(2) 3-2; Beat Sharks(2) 9-1 and Wave 3-2; lost to GSE (2) 5-3 at Jamboree. Seem to have played one team to a 5-5 tie in a scrimmage. Maybe a NorCal parent can comment. Valencia match-ups: Empire, Ducks(1), and GSE(2). Not sure what to make of this team.
Anyone have thoughts on likely candidates for the play-in team?