TOP TO BOTTOM NHL

Team (Record) Comment

1. Detroit (4-1-1-0) Bowman seeks next 1,100 wins.

2. Phoenix (4-1-2-0) Tkachuk, Green spark offense.

3. San Jose (6-2-0-0) NHL’s top offense: 30 goals.

4. New Jersey (4-1-1-0) Brodeur yields five in four games.

5. Pittsburgh (2-1-2-0) Jagr, Lang have strong starts.

6. Florida (4-1-1-0) Svehla-Spacek dynamic defense duo.

7. Carolina (3-1-2-0) Three games left before home debut

8. Colorado (3-2-2-0) Hejduk (four goals) is real thing.

9. Kings (4-2-1-0) Second line finally comes through.

10. Toronto (5-3-0-0) Offense shows signs of stall.

11. Ottawa (4-2-1-0) Roughed-up Alfredsson is resilient.

12. Dallas (4-3-1-0) Stars miss Lehtinen (broken ankle).

13. N.Y. Rangers (4-3-1-0) Fleury earning his pay.

14. St. Louis (3-3-0-0) Turek earns first victory.

15. Nashville (2-3-1-0) Giant killers beat Stars, Leafs.

16. Edmonton (2-2-2-1) Smyth, Selivanov carry offense.

17. Mighty Ducks (3-4-0-1) Power play 0 for 3 games.

18. Montreal (3-5-0-0) Savage (eight goals) a fast starter.

19. Washington (2-2-1-0) Odd schedule disrupts rhythm.

20. Atlanta (1-3-2-0) Rhodes keeps team competitive.

21. Vancouver (3-2-1-1) Cassells scores three in 0-2-1 skid.

22. Philadelphia (1-5-1-1) No longer legion of doomed.

23. Calgary (1-4-2-0) Most goals against (27).

24. N.Y. Islanders (2-4-0-0) Going nowhere.

25. Tampa Bay (1-3-1-0) Cloutier may not be ready.

26. Boston (0-5-3-0) Worst start since 0-8-1 in ‘64-65.

27. Chicago (0-3-3-0) Getting close: three ties in last four.

28. Buffalo (0-4-2-0) East champs still seek offense.

GAME OF THE WEEK

BOSTON BRUINS at KINGS

When--Wednesday. Time--7:30 p.m. TV--Fox Sports West.

* Story line--Expected to contend for the Northeast title, the Bruins are instead struggling to win their first game. They’ve been close in their last six, tying three and losing by one goal three times, but have scored only 12 goals overall. They also miss Vezina runner-up Byron Dafoe, who remains unsigned and isn’t near returning. This game will be the Kings’ debut at the $375-million Staples Center. Although they lost the finale of their season-opening trip, they were getting goals from sources beyond the top line of Luc Robitaille, Jozef Stumpel and Ziggy Palffy. In their debut at their previous home, the Forum, the Kings were 2-0 losers to the Flyers on Dec. 30, 1967.

Continental Captains

Captains of the NHL’s 28 teams come from seven countries, befitting a league that counts players from 17 countries on its rosters.

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Team * * * Player (years as captain) * Homeland Mighty Ducks * Paul Kariya (4) * * * * Canada Atlanta * * Kelly Buchberger (1) * * Canada Boston * * Ray Bourque (15) * * * Canada Buffalo * * Michael Peca (3) * * * Canada Calgary * * Steve Smith (1) * * * Scotland Carolina * * Ron Francis (8*) * * * Canada Chicago * * Doug Gilmour (1) * * * Canada Colorado * * Joe Sakic (8) * * * * Canada Dallas * * Derian Hatcher (6) * * * U.S. Detroit * * Steve Yzerman (14) * * * Canada Edmonton * * Doug Weight (1) * * * * U.S. Florida * * Scott Mellanby (3) * * * Canada Kings * * Rob Blake (5) * * * * Canada Montreal * * Saku Koivu (1) * * * * Finland Nashville * Tom Fitzgerald (2) * * * U.S. New Jersey * Scott Stevens (8) * * * Canada N.Y. Islanders Kenny Jonsson (1) * * * Sweden N.Y. Rangers * Brian Leetch (3) * * * * U.S. Ottawa * * Daniel Alfredsson (1) * * Sweden Philadelphia * Eric Lindros (6) * * * Canada Phoenix * * Keith Tkachuk (6*) * * * U.S. Pittsburgh * Jaromir Jagr (2) * * Czech Rep. San Jose * * Owen Nolan (2) * * * * Ireland St. Louis * Chris Pronger (3) * * * Canada Tampa Bay * Bill Houlder (1) * * * Canada Toronto * * Mats Sundin (3) * * * * Sweden Vancouver * Mark Messier (3) * * * Canada Washington * Adam Oates (1) * * * * Canada

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*not consecutive