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Team (Record): Comment
1. Philadelphia (20-9-7): Lindros earns those big bucks.
2. Colorado (18-8-11): Forsberg scores five in 2-0-2 streak.
3. Dallas (23-9-4): Injuries mounting, but Stars are deep.
4. Detroit (21-9-7): Humming again in 2-0-1 run.
5. New Jersey (23-10-1): Ho-ho Hoboken?
6. Pittsburgh (18-11-8): Power play six for 27 in last six.
7. St. Louis (21-12-5): Still hasn’t shaken doldrums.
8. N.Y. Islanders (15-16-5): Good goaltending in 3-1-1 run.
9. Kings (15-14-6): Ends slump with three straight wins.
10. Phoenix (14-16-6): Gartner scores five in last seven games.
11. Boston (16-15-6): Can’t score in 0-3-1 slump.
12. Washington (16-13-7): Road weary and slightly battered.
13. Montreal (19-14-5): Scoring touch fades in 1-4-1 skid.
14. Ottawa (16-17-4): Held to one goal in four of last seven.
15. San Jose (14-18-4): Gave up only nine goals in 5-0-2 streak.
16. Edmonton (11-17-9): Scoring remains a concern.
17. Buffalo (12-16-6): Hasek a one-man show in two shutouts.
18. Chicago (11-18-7): Hackett only Hawk doing his job.
19. Ducks (13-18-6): Kariya can’t solve all their problems.
20. Toronto (12-17-5): Still seeking goals after tough 2-2 trip.
21. N.Y. Rangers (10-16-12): Money can’t buy a playoff berth.
22. Florida (12-19-5): Can’t put offense, defense together.
23. Calgary (10-21-7): Young team is inconsistent.
24. Carolina (13-18-5): Scored only 12 goals in 1-5-1 slump.
25. Vancouver (11-20-5): So much for miracle-worker Keenan.
26. Tampa Bay (7-21-7): Ugly atmosphere on and off the ice.
Game of the Week
PITTSBURGH AT WASHINGTON
* When--Friday. * Time--4:30 p.m. * TV--None.
* Storyline--The Northeast Division-leading Penguins, who have made impressive strides defensively under Coach Kevin Constantine, kick off a stretch of 12 of 13 games within the Eastern Conference. They haven’t given up more than four goals in a game since Nov. 5, a key to their 10-2-4 surge. Right wing Jaromir Jagr, who says acupuncture helped heal a nagging groin injury, has 16 goals. The Capitals, who played 22 of their first 33 games on the road so they could play more games at the new MCI Center, will be two games into a six-game homestand. They’ve had trouble scoring lately and are being carried by Peter Bondra, who has scored 22 goals.
