Top to Bottom / CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

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Team (Record) Comment 1. Detroit (9-1-2) Wings on 4-0-1 run. 2. St. Louis (9-2-1) Surprise scoring boom. 3. Pittsburgh (7-4-2) Penguins 5-1-1 on tough trip. 4. Boston (7-4-1) Better on road than home. 5. Colorado (6-2-4) Can be sharper. 6. Dallas (7-4-1) Belfour, Turek strong. 7. Ottawa (6-3-3) Senators on 4-1-1 surge. 8. Philadelphia (7-4-1) So-so against weak teams. 9. Washington (7-3-1) Stalling or falling? 10. Montreal (6-3-2) Improved defensively. 11. Phoenix (5-3-2) Howling good at 3-1-2. 12. Ducks (4-4-3) Team Teemu hangs in. 13. New Jersey (6-4-0) Not scoring enough. 14. Kings (4-5-3) Win four, lose four. 15. N.Y. Rangers (3-4-5) Haven’t jelled yet. 16. Carolina (3-7-3) Nice 2-0-1 stretch. 17. Edmonton (4-6-1) Too inconsistent. 18. N.Y. Islanders (3-5-2) Can’t beat Kings, Ducks. 19. Florida (3-5-2) Clawing for goals. 20. San Jose (4-7-0) Two good road wins. 21. Vancouver (3-6-2) No miracles for Messier. 22. Buffalo (3-6-2) 17 goals against in last four. 23. Toronto (3-6-1) Sundin waking up. 24. Calgary (1-8-2) Going down in Flames. 25. Tampa Bay (2-8-2) Shoulda fired team, not coach. 26. Chicago (2-10-0) Poor offense. Poor Blackhawks.

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GAME OF THE WEEK

COLORADO at ST. LOUIS

* When--Thursday. Time--6:30 p.m. TV--ESPN2.

* Storyline--The Pacific Division leaders visit the second-place team in the Central Division. The Avalanche is experiencing defensive problems, having given up 19 goals in its last five games and compiled a 1-2-2 record. The Blues, who have lost only once since their opener, remain one of the NHL’s biggest surprises with 43 goals, second only to Detroit. Defenseman Chris Pronger is blossoming into the elite defenseman he was projected to become.