Trio of NOJHL clubs among national leaders in winning percentage

SUDBURY – The on-ice efforts of a trio of Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League clubs have them among the elite in the entire 129-team Canadian Junior Hockey League in terms of winning percentage.

With play across the 10-league CJHL now complete across the country for another night you’ll find the NOJHL’s Soo Thunderbirds, Kirkland Lake Gold Miners and Elliot Lake Wildcats are among 24 squads in the CJHL that currently boast a .700 winning percentage or better heading into game action next week.

The top NOJHL side in this category are the Thunderbirds as they currently sit fifth nationally at .816.

Sporting a 28-4-1-5 record Sault Ste. Marie is tied with the Gold Miners for first overall in the NOJHL standings with 62 points apiece.

The T-Birds, who hold one game in hand on the Miners, have lost the second fewest contests in regulation in the CJHL to date at four.

As for Kirkland Lake, they are tied for the ninth-best win mark in the CJHL at .795 to go along with their 29-6-2-2 record.

Rounding out the league teams on this impressive list are the surprising Elliot Lake Wildcats.

The first-year club has more than held their own this season having won 25 times in their initial 37 contests in the league and currently boast a .716 winning percentage, which knots them for 22nd in the CJHL.

The surging Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League have the best win mark in the CJHL as the 2015 RBC Cup hosts are at .939 while having gone 45-2-2 in MJHL play to date.

Rounding out the top five are the Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) .847, Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) .820 and the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) .819.

CJHL winning percentage leaders (As of Jan. 26/15)          
TEAM LEAGUE GP W L T/OT/SL PTS WIN%
Portage Terriers MJHL 49 45 2 2 92 .939
Spruce Grove Saints AJHL 49 40 6 3 83 .847
Carleton Place Canadians CCHL 50 40 8 2 82 .820
Camrose Kodiaks AJHL 47 37 7 3 77 .819
Soo Thunderbirds NOJHL 38 28 4 6 62 .816
Aurora Tigers OJHL 45 35 7 3 73 .811
Penticton Vees BCHL 45 35 7 3 73 .811
Fort Frances Lakers SIJHL 37 29 7 1 59 .797
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners NOJHL 39 29 6 4 62 .795
Georgetown Raiders OJHL 44 31 5 8 70 .795
Woodstock Slammers MHL 38 29 7 2 60 .789
Melfort Mustangs SJHL 45 32 6 7 71 .789
Kindersley Klippers SJHL 45 32 8 5 69 .767
Dieppe Commandos MHL 34 25 7 2 52 .765
Brooks Bandits AJHL 47 35 11 1 71 .755
Longueuil College Francais QJHL 42 29 9 4 62 .738
Sherbrooke Cougars QJHL 42 30 7 5 65 .734
Ottawa Jr. A Senators CCHL 49 33 11 5 71 .724
Trenton Golden Hawks OJHL 46 34 9 3 71 .722
Princeville Titan QJHL 41 27 9 5 59 .720
Cobourg Cougars OJHL 46 31 11 4 66 .717
Elliot Lake Wildcats NOJHL 37 25 9 3 53 .716
Pictou County Weeks Crushers MHL 37 25 9 3 53 .716
Nanaimo Clippers BCHL 45 31 12 2 64 .711