NHL TOP TO BOTTOM

Team (Record) Comment

1. New Jersey (25-12-5-2) Swamp dwellers on 6-0-2 streak.

2. St. Louis (25-11-6-0) Turgeon keys 4-0-2 run.

3. Philadelphia (24-11-6-1) Solid overall in 5-0-1 streak.

4. Detroit (27-11-4-1) Yzerman climbs goal list.

5. Dallas (21-16-5-1) Keane, Carbonneau still warriors.

6. Colorado (20-17-5-1) Looking better in 5-2-2 push.

7. Ottawa (21-14-6-2) Alfredsson regaining form.

8. Florida (23-14-3-3) Vernon 2-1 since trade.

9. Toronto (24-15-4-3) Defense lapses in 1-4 skid.

10. Phoenix (22-15-5-0) Burke returns--none too soon.

11. Carolina (17-17-8-0) Team improves, crowds don’t.

12. Pittsburgh (18-19-3-5) Jagr rolling to scoring title.

13. Kings (18-15-7-2) Signs 2-7-1 slide may end.

14. Edmonton (14-17-11-5) Clawing back into playoff hunt.

15. Nashville (15-22-5-2) Tenacious in 6-2-3 surge.

16. Calgary (18-19-5-1) Iginla, Bure boost playoff effort.

17. N.Y. Rangers (14-20-7-3) All that money for 2-5-3 skid.

18. Buffalo (17-20-5-1) Defense shoddy in 2-5 stretch.

19. San Jose (20-20-5-3) Fading in 3-7-1 skid.

20. Mighty Ducks (18-19-5-1) Disappointing in 0-5-1 streak.

21. Chicago (13-23-6-2) Better, but more downs than ups.

22. Boston (14-18-10-2) Many woes in 3-11-5 dive.

23. Washington (15-17-7-1) 3-1-2 surge is promising.

24. Atlanta (10-26-4-3) Goalie Fankhouser may be a find.

25. Vancouver (13-19-8-3) Little progress in 2-10-2 funk.

26. Montreal (12-24-5-1) Latest skid is 0-4-3.

27. N.Y. Islanders (10-24-6-0) Dismal season continues.

28. Tampa Bay (10-26-4-3) Can’t stop 0-9-1 slide.

GAME OF THE WEEK

PITTSBURGH AT COLORADO

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

Story line--A showcase for some of the NHL’s most skillful players--the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr, who leads scorers with 71 points, and Avalanche center Peter Forsberg, considered perhaps the top two-way player. Forsberg is regaining his timing after being sidelined for 23 games because of shoulder surgery; Adam Deadmarsh (12 goals) and Milan Hejduk (20 goals) have carried the offense. The Penguins are 10-5 since Herb Brooks replaced Kevin Constantine as coach, but their power play is 0 for 4 games and their goaltending has been too inconsistent for them to seriously contend.