NHL TOP TO BOTTOM

Team (Record) Comment

1. St. Louis (38-15-6-0) Ultimate example of team play.

2. New Jersey (36-17-7-4) Depth shows in 17-5-4 surge.

3. Dallas (33-22-5-2) Modano: 10 goals, 19 points in 14 games.

4. Washington (29-20-10-1) Simon scores career-high 20 goals.

5. Philadelphia (30-17-11-1) Lindros, Recchi carry offense.

6. Phoenix (32-20-6-1) Still on Dallas’ heels.

7. Detroit (36-19-6-1) Defensive lapses still too common.

8. Kings (28-24-7-3) Robitaille, Stumpel, Palffy flying.

9. Florida (33-22-4-3) Bure (42 goals) not getting much help.

10. Ottawa (29-21-9-2) Fans’ money provides biggest save.

11. Pittsburgh (26-27-6-5) Aubin matures in goal.

12. Colorado (28-24-9-1) More talent than victories.

13. Toronto (30-22-7-3) Offense dries up in 0-4-2 slump.

14. San Jose (25-29-8-7) Home after big 3-2-2 trip.

15. Buffalo (25-27-9-2) With Hasek back, anything’s possible.

16. Montreal (23-28-7-3) Late playoff push with 5-0 streak.

17. Edmonton (22-24-15-8) Losing home-and-home to Flames hurts.

18. Mighty Ducks (25-27-9-1) Must learn to hold and pad leads.

19. Calgary (25-29-6-5) Flickering, but still going.

20. N.Y. Rangers (24-28-9-3) $60 million for this?

21. N.Y. Islanders (17-36-7-1) Goring gets a lot out of very little.

22. Carolina (25-27-9-0) Uphill playoff battle.

23. Boston (18-25-16-4) Going nowhere in 2-6-3 skid.

24. Vancouver (20-29-10-6) Some life in 5-2 push.

25. Chicago (20-31-7-2) Victory over Detroit a bright spot.

26. Nashville (21-33-6-5) Seeing Stars after 0-6 streak.

27. Atlanta (11-41-6-4) Welcome to the NHL: 0-14-2 streak.

28. Tampa Bay (13-38-7-6) Rare win over Penguins.

Through Monday’s games

Game of the Week

PITTSBURGH AT NEW YORK RANGERS

When--Today. Time--4:30 p.m. TV--None.

* Story line--On the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s stunning upset of the Soviets at Lake Placid, N.Y., Olympic coach Herb Brooks leads his current NHL team, the Penguins, against his first NHL team. Besides the nostalgia value, this game will have an impact on the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Penguins are on a 6-2-2 surge, but NHL scoring leader Jaromir Jagr (37 goals, 85 points) is out indefinitely because of a pulled hamstring. However, Martin Straka and Robert Lang each have five goals in the last 10 games. The Rangers are sagging after a 9-1 push that lifted them into the top eight. They’re 3-8-2 since, and the New York tabloids are clamoring for the return of 39-year-old Mark Messier. Sorry, only Brooks has proved himself capable of miracles.