THE TIMES’ RANKING: Top TO BOTTOM
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Team (record): Comment
1. Dallas (28-9-7): Everyone pitches in during 7-0-3 streak.
2. Colorado (22-8-13): Big guns make noise in 6-0-4 run.
3. Philadelphia (24-10-7): Lindros, LeClair lead 9-1-2 surge.
4. Montreal (23-15-6): Recchi gets hot, so do Habs.
5. Detroit (25-11-8): Offense stalls in back-to-back losses.
6. New Jersey (26-13-2): Surprising 1-3 slump.
7. Pittsburgh (21-13-8): Defense holding up well.
8. St. Louis (23-15-6): Pluggers try to replace Hull.
9. Phoenix (19-16-7): Two shutouts in 5-0-1 streak.
10. Washington (18-16-8): Injuries take toll on offense.
11. Boston (18-16-8): Dafoe gets consecutive shutouts.
12. Kings (17-18-7): Offense must rediscover consistency.
13. Chicago (15-18-9): The roar is back.
14. Florida (15-20-8): Finally clicking in 3-0-3 streak.
15. Ottawa (18-20-5): Shut out twice in last four.
16. San Jose (15-21-5): Two wins over Detroit in 6-3-3 push.
17. N.Y. Rangers (13-18-12): Richter, Leetch struggling.
18. Ducks (14-21-8): Kariya, Selanne need help. Still.
19. Buffalo (14-19-7): Sabres win by shutout or lose big.
20. N.Y. Islanders (15-22-5): Losing streak at seven.
21. Carolina (16-22-5): How not to run a franchise.
22. Toronto (13-20-7): Defense crumbles in 0-3-2 slide.
23. Edmonton (11-22-9): Guerin, Zelepukin walk into nightmare.
24. Calgary (11-25-8): Can’t keep up offensively.
25. Vancouver (12-24-6): Even Keenan can’t sort out this mess.
26. Tampa Bay (9-24-8): Trade won’t help much, if at all.
GAME OF THE WEEK
PHOENIX AT CHICAGO
* When--Friday. * Time--5:30 p.m. * TV-None.
Storyline--The Coyotes seem to have finally grasped the concepts of team defense and teamwork. Keith Tkachuk, who has 26 goals--including seven in his last five games--ranks among the NHL’s top power forwards. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin has given up only eight goals in the Coyotes’ 5-0-1 streak. The Blackhawks are playing their best hockey and their 5-1-3 push has carried them back into playoff position. Goalie Jeff Hackett has three shutouts in his last eight games and a dormant offense is finally stirring.
