Hockey: CIS top 10 - Top three still locked in

Another week, another top 10 with the same feel at the top. The Alberta Golden Bears continue to hold down the number-one spot, followed by McGill, and UNB. Only minor changes in the poll this week, with Saint Mary's and Western moving up one spot each thanks to St. FX falling a pair of positions. Number 10 Calgary moves up one spot despite two losses over the last weekend - both in one goal fashion to Alberta. Concordia's stay inside the top 10 was a brief one, with Carleton unseating the Stingers in the number-10 spot.

1. Alberta (7-1-0) / 165 pts (6) / (1)
2. McGill (8-0-0) / 161 (6) / (2)
3. UNB (5-1-0) / 155 (6) / (3)
4. Saint Mary’s (3-1-0) / 117 / (5)
5. Western Ontario (6-0-1) / 113 / (6)
6. StFX (4-1-1) / 96 / (4)
7. Saskatchewan (3-3-0) / 49 / (7)
8. Manitoba (3-2-1) / 35 / (8)
9. Calgary (4-3-1) / 32 / (10)
10. Carleton (5-1-2) / 27 / (NR)

Dropped from the rankings: Concordia (#10 last week)
Other teams receiving votes: UQTR (13), Wilfrid Laurier (11), Concordia (7), Lakehead (5), Acadia (4).

Things are playing out as expected for the most part atop the conference standings thus far this season, with Alberta enjoying a healthy five point lead in the standings over second place Calgary already.

In Ontario McGill has been impressive, and remains the only team in the nation yet to have suffered their first loss of the season - in any form - with an 8-0-0 mark. Western also has been fast out of the gate with a 7-0-1 record, making them one of only two teams in the nation yet to suffer a regulation loss, with McGill of course their partner in that stat.

In the AUS, UNB despite their early season stumble to UPEI has been the cream of the conference crop after they ran their record to 5-1-0 after two convincing wins this weekend, first over UPEI 4-1 in a game our David Kilfoil said "could have been a blowout", before downing Moncton 4-0 Saturday.

Less than a dozen games into the regular season and an exciting race for the CIS scoring crown has already emerged between a host of familiar faces. Out west Chad Klassen's 20 points lead the way, but not far behind the Bear is teammate Derek Ryan and his 19 points. Those two have been in sync at every turn this season, and whether they can keep up the torrid pace remains to be seen, but I would have to say all signs point to yes.

McGill's Francis Verreault-Paul has been electric this season for the Redmen, with a nation high 13 goals to go along with six assists through eight games, while the reigning Senator Joseph A. Sullivan award winner Hunter Tremblay has hardly been a slouch with the V-Reds so far this season racking up 11 points in six games. Tremblay sits tied atop the AUS scoring race with Chris Hulit of St. FX who leads that conference in goals with eight.

As far as top 10 matchups go this weekend, they are as follows:

- #7 Saskatchewan travelling to take on #9 Calgary Friday and Saturday
- #4 Saint Mary's at #3 UNB Friday night, along with #6 St. FX travelling to Fredericton to take on the #3 V-Reds Saturday

Talk about a tough set of back-to-back games for the V-Reds, as they play host to the two premier CIS games of the weekend at the Aitken Centre.