Exhibition slate continues tonight

The busy week continues for the Klippers as they get set to play their third pre-season game (their second "real" one, you could say) in North Battleford tonight.

The Brooks Bandits won last night's game 5-2, with Jordon Hoffman and Kiley Long scoring for the Klips. I have no idea what kind of line-up the Bandits iced, but this was their fourth pre-season tilt, so I reckon there were quite a few vets playing. The Klippers had six returnees in the line-up - Duzan, Hoffman, Mysiorek, Down, Flanagan and Hellyer.

I would expect at least 10 returning players to get the nod for tonight's game, including the Calkins line. The North Stars are coming off a 8-5 loss in Humboldt last night and will probably have a good number of vets playing as well. This will be the Klippers' first look at Shayne Morrissey and Colin Phaneuf, if they play. Both forwards have gotten a lot of hype since Battlefords acquired them over the summer.

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The CJAHL's pre-season Top 20 is out this afternoon. Flin Flon and La Ronge made the list, along with Battlefords as an honourable mention. Personally (and this has nothing to do with the Klippers being excluded) I've always felt national rankings done before the season starts are silly - especially at this level, where it's so hard to get info about the players teams have brought in over the summer.

Maybe it's just me, but with all the talent La Ronge has lost from last season, ranking them in the top 15 in Canada is preposterous.

Nice to see Truro and Woodstock from my neck of the woods, though.

1. (2) Vernon Vipers (BCHL)

2. (5) Dauphin Kings (MJHL)

3. (3) Penticton Vees (BCHL)

4. (10) Oakville Blades (OJHL)

5. (8) Brockville Braves (CJHL)

6. (HM) Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL)

7. (4) Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL)

8. (HM) Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)

9. (16) Flin Flon Bombers (SJHL)

10. (1) Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)

11. (11) Woodstock Slammers (MJAHL)

12. (8) Grand Prairie Storm (AJHL)

13. (9) Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL)

14. (NR) La Ronge Ice Wolves (SJHL)

15. (7) Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)

16. (13) Fort William North Stars (SIJHL)

17. (NR) Wellington Dukes (OJHL)

18. (NR) Winnipeg Saints (MJHL)

19. (19) Abitibi Eskimos (NOJHL)

20. (20) Les Cobras de Terrebonne (LHJAAA)

Honourable mention goes to the Powell River Kings (BCHL), Battlefords North Stars (SJHL), Swan Valley

Stampeders (MJHL), Huntsville Otters (OJHL), Truro Bearcats (MJAHL).