The 2018-19 GWMHL season is now underway, and the first 20 games are in the books. The Salem Sabercats are off to a roaring start (16-2-2) and sit atop the league-wide standings, followed closely by the Parry Sound Orrsmen (14-4-2). Perhaps most surprisingly, both Baltimore (7-11-2) and Hamilton (5-14-1) have struggled out of the gate.
But the big story is definitely Salem, who have both scored the most and allowed the fewest goals after 20. The Cats went a stellar 9-0-1 on the road, and their preseason acquisition of Anze Kopitar is paying big dividends, as he leads all scorers with 36 points. A word of caution, though: Salem absolutely pummeled rebuilding Great Lakes and South Side and the defending champs should get a much better test in the second quarter.
Also of note, Farmington rearguard John Carlson‘s 24 points, good enough to lead all defensemen and help propel his team to a strong 11-6-3 start. Meanwhile, Vancouver‘s Mat Barzal jumped out to a narrow lead in the rookie scoring race with 18 points while running the league’s best-producing powerplay (25.4%).
Gump Worsley Memorial Hockey League 