Top to Bottom : CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

Team (Record): 1. Colorado (32-14-8)

Comment: Avalanche biding time until playoffs. Joe Sakic due back in a week.

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Team (Record): 2. Buffalo (29-19-8)

Comment: Sabres have given up only eight goals in 4-0-3 streak.

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Team (Record): 3. Dallas (32-20-4)

Comment: Neal Broten couldn’t score for Kings but has been a star for Stars.

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Team (Record): 4. Philadelphia (30-16-8)

Comment: Reunited Legion of Doom romps, but defense and goaltending are spotty.

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Team (Record): 5. Pittsburgh (30-19-5)

Comment: Patrick Lalime is human after all, giving up 13 goals in three games.

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Team (Record): 6. Florida (27-15-13)

Comment: Panthers are 1-0-3 since losing injured Ray Sheppard (knee).

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Team (Record): 7. New Jersey (26-17-9)

Comment: Defense is key, but John MacLean and Dave Andreychuk spark offense.

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Team (Record): 8. Detroit (25-18-10)

Comment: Return of Sergei Fedorov and Darren McCarty has helped.

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Team (Record): 9. Edmonton (27-23-5)

Comment: Oilers’ stock on rise. No wonder Peter Pocklington wants to sell shares.

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Team (Record): 10. N.Y. Rangers (28-22-7)

Comment: Wayne Gretzky is in career-worst 17-game goal drought.

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Team (Record): 11. St. Louis (26-25-6)

Comment: Courtnall-Turgeon-Hull line carries Blues over .500.

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Team (Record): 12. Chicago (21-27-8)

Comment: Blackhawks revive on 4-2 trip. Alexei Zhamnov has one goal in 15 games.

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Team (Record): 13. Calgary (21-28-6)

Comment: Veterans Theoren Fleury and Dave Gagner keep them from a worse fate.

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Team (Record): 14. Vancouver (25-27-2)

Comment: Canucks give up 23 goals in losing four of five. Consistently inconsistent.

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Team (Record): 15. San Jose (20-28-6)

Comment: Sharks will miss Andrei Nazarov, who has broken facial bones.

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Team (Record): 16. Phoenix (24-27-4)

Comment: Enough talk about talent. Coyotes must start winning.

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Team (Record): 17. Hartford (21-25-7)

Comment: OT loss at Montreal hurt. Geoff Sanderson a bright spot in 1-4 slide.

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Team (Record): 18. Ducks (21-28-6)

Comment: Inexcusable losses to three sub-.500 teams in four-game trip.

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Team (Record): 19. Washington (21-27-6)

Comment: Capitals have scored more than three goals only once in last 18 games.

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Team (Record): 20. Ottawa (18-24-11)

Comment: Senators are thinking playoffs. Stop laughing.

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Team (Record): 21. Montreal (21-27-10)

Comment: Goalies left hanging. Penguins and Flyers score 15 in two games.

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Team (Record): 22. Boston (20-27-7)

Comment: Mediocrity continues in 0-2-1 slide. Bill Ranford out with shoulder cyst.

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Team (Record): 23. Toronto (21-33-1)

Comment: GM Cliff Fletcher still on hot seat, but wins over Ducks and Canucks help.

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Team (Record): 24. Kings (19-30-6)

Comment: Playoff hopes fading after losing three of four. Lack of punch up front hurts.

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Team (Record): 25. Tampa Bay (19-27-6)

Comment: Losing injured Brian Bradley shouldn’t cause tailspin. Where’s leadership?

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Team (Record): 26. N.Y. Islanders (17-28-9)

Comment: New owner John Spano promises to spend big bucks on free agents.

GAME OF THE WEEK

PHILADELPHIA at PITTSBURGH

* When--Sunday. Time--5 p.m. TV--ESPN.

* Storyline--These geographic rivals have taken similar paths. The Flyers were 12-11-1 while Eric Lindros recovered from a groin injury and have lost only five games since; the Penguins were 5-12-1 on Nov. 16 but have lost only seven times since. Flyer defenseman Paul Coffey, acquired to boost the power play, has been hampered by hamstring problems. NHL scoring leader Mario Lemieux of the Penguins--39 goals, 89 points--sat out a game last week to rest his back, only the third game he sat out this season