NHL: THE TIMES’ RANKINGS: Top to Bottom

Team (record): Comment (last week’s rank)

1. Pittsburgh (18-10-6): Defense fuels 10-1-2 surge.

2. New Jersey (22-9-0): Two shutouts in five-game winning streak.

3. Philadelphia (19-9-6): LeClair has six goals in 4-0-1 run.

4. Detroit (19-8-6): Can beat any team except Edmonton.

5. Dallas (22-9-4): 3-2 since Modano’s injury.

6. Colorado (18-8-9): Offense stalls, but not for long.

7. St. Louis (20-12-3): They’ll be Blue without MacInnis.

8. Montreal (18-13-4): Defense slips in losing last four on road.

9. Boston (16-12-5): Burns could be coach of the year.

10. Washington (15-12-6): Home looks sweet after 0-2-2 trip.

11. Ottawa (14-15-4): Sputtering offense holds Senators back.

12. N.Y. Islanders (13-15-4): Can’t put good streak together.

13. Edmonton (11-16-7): Oilers 3-1-1 against tough teams.

14. Kings (12-14-6): Outscored, 23-7, in 0-5-1 slide.

15. Phoenix (13-14-6): Enough ties in 0-3-4 stretch.

16. Ducks (12-15-6): Fresh start with Kariya’s return.

17. Carolina (12-16-5): Should be better than this.

18. San Jose (12-18-3): Sharks have bite in 3-0-1 streak.

19. Florida (11-17-5): Slow recovery from bad start.

20. Buffalo (10-15-6): Can’t get on a decent roll.

21. Calgary (9-18-7): Signs of life in three-game winning streak.

22. N.Y. Rangers (9-14-11): Need a big jolt to end 1-4-6 slump.

23. Toronto (10-16-5): Feeble offense is downfall.

24. Chicago (10-16-6): Scoring woes resurface in 0-3-2 streak.

25. Vancouver (10-19-4): Keenan’s magic fades in 1-5-1 stretch.

26. Tampa Bay (6-21-4): Shut out four times in last eight.

GAME OF THE WEEK

NEW JERSEY at DETROIT

* When--Friday.

* Time--4:30 p.m.

* TV--ESPN2.

* Storyline--The NHL’s top defensive team meets the second highest-scoring team. The Devils, who have a goals-against average of 1.77, recently re-signed two players who are keys to that success: goalie Martin Brodeur, who got a four-year deal for about $15 million, and defenseman Scott Stevens, who took $20 million for four years. Both could have gotten more as free agents but chose to stay with a team that’s deep and young enough to rank among the elite for years. The Red Wings have shown signs of missing restricted free agent Sergei Fedorov, but grinders such as Kirk Maltby, Brent Gilchrist and Darren McCarty are playing well and scoring too.