Kelowna Rockets, Erie Otters 1-2 in Buzzing The Net Dynamic Dozen

A rising tide raises all ships

That doesn't work as an economic theory, but it is at play in Week 3 of the Double-D. Kelowna and Erie, the two one-regulation losses in the Western and Ontario leagues, stands so far above their competition that everyone who plays them benefits in Buzzing The Net's weekly effort to rank all 60 major junior teams. Conversely, the Quebec League is the more compact circuit, which is great since it's in a Memorial Cup season.

1. Kelowna Rockets, WHL (.625 RPI, +2.9 SRS, —) — The 17-1-1-0 Rockets are on the road for five, including two-game series at the B.C. Division outposts Prince George and Victoria. There might some stumbling at some point, but the Rockets have yet to get tripped up by the law of averages. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Tyrell Goulbourne, who had a hat trick last weekend, could get up to some shenanigans in those back-to-back games.

2. Erie Otters, OHL (.598 RPI, +2.7 SRS, +1) — Connor McDavid, Dylan Strome and the tricolored buzz-saw that is the Otters face the Niagara IceDogs on Sportsnet's first Friday Night Hockey telecast off this season. It probably fits into some cheesy motivation narrative that the IceDogs will be the foil for a McDavid showcase for the second time in three weeks. Niagara became the first team to shut out McDavid last week but the game wasn't on national TV or in a NHL building, so did it really count?

3. Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL (.589 RPI, +1.9 SRS, -1) — Just playing Brandon to a tie last Saturday helped the Calgary Hitmen jump up 19 spots this week (see below). That game jumped up to being a six-months-early playoff preview, with goalie Jordan Papirny's new found assertiveness factoring into getting the full two points. Meantime, the strong run might help the Wheaties get their average attendance back over the 4,000 mark.

4. Oshawa Generals, OHL (.588 RPI, +1.7 SRS, —) — The Gens aren't Erie-dominant although they their opponents have a better winning percentage (.543) than the Otters' (.485). Their only losses since linchpin Michael Dal Colle (23 points in 14 games) returned from the New York Islanders were both divisional games vs. Kingston and Ottawa, who ostensibly have more familiarity with the Generals.

5. Kitchener Rangers, OHL (.569 RPI, +1.0 SRS, —) — Having an OHL-high seven regulation ties keeps paying off for the Blueshirts, who are now up to fourth in the Western Conference. The middle leg of Kitchener's upcoming 3-in-3 weekend includes a measuring-stick matchup in Erie on Saturday. One immediate concern is whether Colorado Avalanche draft pick Nick Magyar will be limited this week after failing to finish last Sunday's game.

6. Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (.563 RPI, +1.5 SRS, +11) — The Tigers are back in the fold after winning in a row and having some strength of schedule-related shakeup. Coach-GM Shaun Clouston did experiment last week with putting Matt Bradley, rather than Steven Owre, in between top-end wings Trevor Cox and Cole Sanford. It was probably worth having trying to foster some options before a game at Brandon on Saturday.

7. Rimouski Océanic, QMJHL (.560 RPI, +1.2 SRS, +1) — It is always good for the general atmosphere when 11 players score goals over the course of two games. Simon Bourque and Winnipeg Jets fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek are continuing to cover for the absence of injured No. 1 defenceman Samuel Morin, but the big man's absence should help Rimouski with making a final evaluation before the trade period begins in six weeks.

8. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL (.559 RPI, +1.0 SRS, -1) — Is there another Paulin Bordeleau protégé to keep taps on? Armada right wing Brendan Hamelin, who played for Bordeleau at Collège Esther-Blondin and had a cameo last season, had a pair of two-assist games last week. The 17-year-old gives B-B another contributor in its balanced lineup.

9. Everett Silvertips, WHL (.558 RPI, +1.9 SRS, -3) — 'Tips goalie Austin Lotz played through last weekend after learning of the death of his lifelong friend Cole Hamblin, the 21-year-old former Regina and Spokane defenceman who succumbed to cancer on Nov. 5. Hamblin's mother babysat the now 19-year-old Lotz

"There was no saying no to Cole when we were younger," Lotz told the Everett Herald. Ever since I got into junior and had some success, he'd always tell people, ‘Yeah, I'm the one who got Austin to be a goalie.' "

Everett is amid a five-day break to regroup for a home weekend after getting a wake-up call via an uncharacteristic 6-4 loss to Spokane.

10. Québec Remparts, QMJHL (.557 RPI, +0.7 SRS, -1) — Coach-GM Philippe Boucher is well aware that the Remparts' 14-6-0-0 start belies the amount of puck luck it's taken to have had four shootout wins and two more one-goal decisions. The smoking gun, so to speak, is that top-end players aren't trigger-happy enough.

"I want the guys to be more selfish within 10 feet, they pass too often," Boucher told Le Soleil.

11. Ottawa 67's, OHL (.551 RPI, -0.5 SRS, —) — The 67's have coped well with a road-heavy early schedule, becoming a much more structured team with Taylor Davis, Nevin Guy, Alex Lintuniemi and Jacob Middleton helming the back end. That 2-1 shootout loss in Kingston, which was their lone game last week, wasn't a snoozer. Both teams were just that good in their defensive zone, with one stray rebound and a sweet move by Kingston's Ryan Kujawinski being the only reasons there wasn't a rare double shutout.  .

12. London Knights, OHL (.549 RPI, +1.3 SRS, —) — That blowout home loss to Guelph was played off as a blip (Michael McCarron: "I don’t think this will set us back at all"). It did point up that London has had penalty problems. Even after factoring out the Storm going 6-for-12, the Knights are still allowing ½ power plays a game. That's the mark of a young team, but one would expect coach Dale Hunter to have excited that by March.

The not as dynamic but still very distinguished dozen — 13. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, OHL (.548, +10); 14. Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL (.546, -4); 15. Tri-City Americans, WHL (.546, +3); 16. Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL (.540, —); 17. Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL (.538, -2); 18. Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL (.530, +7); 19. Kamloops Blazers, WHL (.524, -5); 20. Owen Sound Attack, OHL (.519, -7); 21. Calgary Hitmen, WHL (.519, +19); 22. Saginaw Spirit, OHL (.516, +11); 23. Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL (.515, +3); 24. Belleville Bulls, OHL (.514, -4).

Hot team — Calgary Hitmen, up 19 (40th to 21st).

Cold team — Portland Winterhawks, down 10 (24th to 34th).

Nowhere to go but up — Prince Albert (.371).

An explanation on rankings — Buzzing The Net uses Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) with a recency factor. RPI combines a team's record with the strength of its opponents to produce an overall rating. Our method also gives more weight to recently played games. Shootout wins and losses are classified as ties, for philosophical and practical reasons. Simple Ranking System (SRS), a ranking which combines goal differential and strength of schedule, is used as a complement. All three CHL leagues are considered equivalent in quality.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.