Shots from the Point: Game Day @ Kelowna edition

The Americans still high in Buzzing the Net's bizarre ranking system:

2. Tri-City Americans, WHL (.576, +2) — Are they a team in the truest sense more than anyone else in the Western league or perhaps the whole CHL? Tri-City is high in the standings without the benefit of having a player Hockey Canada thought enough of to bring to world junior tryout camp.  Having said that, goalie Ty Rimmer had his boosters, forward Patrick Holland was at the summer camp and Zach Yuen will have a better case as a 19-year-old next season. The three-pronged rivalry in the U.S. Division between Tri-City, Portland and Spokane is promising to be lively once again in the new year, once the rosters are set.  (BTN)

What, the Chiefs aren't in first place??  I wonder why...

The Chiefs dropped a 4-1 game to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Tuesday, after taking a 1-0 lead in the first. Spokane is 0-5-1-2 on the road and the only team in the WHL without a road win. The Chiefs can try again today at Red Deer.  (Red Light District)

As Buzzing the Net noted, no Americans players will be going to the World Juniors this year.  But Eric Comrie will see some elite tournament action:

The Americans will bring in goalie Brett Teskey to fill in for Eric Comrie when he plays for Team Pacific in the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Dec. 29-Jan. 4 in Windsor, Ontario. Teskey, 18, was the backup behind Nathan Lieuwen for the Kootenay Ice last year when they went to the Memorial Cup. Teskey is playing for the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League this season. He was 6-3-0-0 through Monday.  (Herald)

Meanwhile, I'm obviously not the only one to notice how incredibly awesome the defense is this year from top to bottom:

Sixty-two goals. That's all the Tri-City Americans have allowed in 25 games.

It's the second fewest allowed by any of the 22 teams in the Western Hockey League, and the defense, solid goaltending and the stingy penalty kill unit have kept the puck out of the net.

"That's the key to any good team; the defense," said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller, whose team has won four in a row and nine of its last 10. "Our defense, as a group of eight, are doing a really good job and have gone unheralded. The last 10 games we've really found a rhythm."

Yuen is the catalyst that keeps the defensive unit running smoothly.

He has four goals and nine assists, but his most impressive stat is his team-high plus-18 rating. Defensive partner Mitch Topping has 12 points and a plus-16 rating.

"Zach and Mitch complement each other really well," Hiller said. "Both broke into the league at 16, and both being 18, they have played a lot. To be a defenseman in the league at 16 is tough."

The No. 2 pairing of Sam Grist and Michal Plutnar is just as effective. Grist, a second-year player, is a plus-9, while Plutnar, a rookie from the Czech Republic, is a plus-4 with three goals and four assists.

"You see the growth in players during the season, and Sam is an example of that," Hiller said. "We saw it in the playoffs with his assertiveness. His overall play has improved, and his confidence has grown. Michal has a remarkable ability to understand the game for being just 17. The language barrier hasn't been much of an issue. He understands what he did wrong before he can get back to the bench and we yell at him."

Drydn Dow and Derek Ryckman are a solid third-line pair.

Ryckman brings the size and strength, and Dow the speed and ability to bring the puck up the ice.

"We are confident with them up against another team's top line," Hiller said. "There is no need to panic to make a change as there was in the past." (Herald)

The boys are in Kelowna tonight to take on the Rockets.  These two teams always put on a good battle so it should be a good one.  Join the liveblog if you dare.