NHL TOP TO BOTTOM

Team (Record): Comment

1. Philadelphia (16-8-4-1): Lindros, LeClair fuel 5-0-1 streak.

2. Phoenix (18-7-3-0): Roenick a leader in 11-2 push.

3. St. Louis (17-8-2-0): True team play in 8-2-2 surge.

4. Toronto (16-9-4-2): Hoglund (13 goals) a great find.

5. Detroit (16-8-3-1): Shanahan scores seven in last six.

6. Kings (14-7-6-1): Stumpel’s skill missed in 2-3-2 slump.

7. Florida (14-9-2-2): Kidd handles goaltending load.

8. Colorado (13-12-3-1): Hejduk (17 goals) maturing nicely.

9. Carolina (11-9-7-0): Decent team, rotten attendance.

10. San Jose (15-13-4-2): Nolan rolls but team sputters.

11. New Jersey (13-9-3-2): Offense still inconsistent.

12. Boston (11-9-7-0): Underachieves in 0-2-2 skid.

13. Ducks (13-12-3-1): Intensity better vs. Kings, Coyotes.

14. Dallas (13-12-3-1): Looking more like champs.

15. Ottawa (14-11-2-1): Can’t get breaks on taxes, offense.

16. Calgary (10-15-2-1): Brathwaite keeps Fuhr on bench.

17. Pittsburgh (8-13-3-4): Jagr can’t do it by himself.

18. Buffalo (11-14-3-1): Goals scarce in 1-4-1 slump.

19. Vancouver (11-11-6-1): Offense stalls in 1-5-2 slide.

20. Edmonton (8-13-6-4): Guerin, Weight not carrying weight.

21. Montreal (9-17-1-1): Wins four, loses three, gets nowhere.

22. N.Y. Rangers (9-14-4-1): Fleury in one-for-19 famine.

23. Washington (9-11-5-1): TV commercials better than team.

24. Tampa Bay (9-14-4-2): Improving, but not there yet.

25. Nashville (9-16-1-2): Detroit victory a season highlight.

26. Chicago (7-16-4-2): Pulford pulls string on Molleken.

27. Atlanta (7-16-2-2): Two-game win streak ends.

28. N.Y. Islanders (6-14-3-0): Pitiful at home--and away too.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Dallas at St. Louis

When--Saturday. Time--6 p.m. TV--ESPN2.

Story line--Dallas won the teams’ second-round playoff series last spring, but four of the six games went to overtime. Both are solid defensively--at least the Stars were last season--and both are playing well. The Stars seem to have gotten past their horrible start and have won five of their last seven; they will be without versatile winger Jere Lehtinen (broken ankle) for another week but Brett Hull and Mike Modano have each scored two goals in the last four games. The Blues, jockeying with the Red Wings for the Central Division lead, are 8-2-1 since defenseman Al MacInnis’ broken ankle healed.