Battle of the Titans: With teams such as Carolina, Maine and Vancouver expecting a rebuild - teams like Colorado, Anaheim and Newfoundland being somewhere in the middle, there is room to speculate: who exactly are the best teams in the SMJHL this year? At 8-0-1, Detroit is the bonafide favorite for a 4 star championship. In the west, there is no clear winner, however, this game may have been a preview for what is to come in the four star cup finals this year: Anchorage vs Detroit. Nothing is set in stone when it comes to the SMJHL. If i were to place my bet early based off of this game, I'd say Anchorage vs Detroit.

Rivalry Report: Edward Williams of the Detroit Falcons and Mitchell Van Der Heijden of the Anchorage Armada are arguably two of the most productive point scorers in the league at this time. However, Lando Norris got the better of Williams. But how? Lando lost the fight - but when you take the best player in the league off of the ice for 5 minutes, momentum surely shifts. Anchorage knew Williams was heated and capitalized as Williams was held off of the score sheet save for a 5 minute major. Mitchell Van Der Heijden however, registered two points to earn the first star. Anchorage produced defensively and shut down various power play attempts.

Heavy Hitting: Burlock Sulfurgold of the Detroit Falcons registered a phenomenol SEVEN hits this game - the kid is a physical and defensive beast. In a world where points are paramount, I feel like it's necessary to shout out the unsung heroes who put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of the fans. With that being said, Anchorage depth player Stan Hanson deserves a shoutout for his big body presence, registering 5 clean hits. The physical play, tension in the standings, and The Lando Norris and Edward Williams fight made this game a must-watch. Perhaps we will be blessed to see a four star cup finals between these two squads - maybe Anchorage can upset the favourites this season - we will see.