THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

HELENE ELLIOTT’S NHL RANKINGS, COMMENTS

1TAMPA BAY

(7-0-1-0)Team defense, Stillman (six goals) and an unbeaten record.

2 VANCOUVER

(8-2-2-0)Riding 6-0-2 streak; Bertuzzi scores first goal in 11 games.

3 NEW JERSEY

(5-3-2-0)Gomez, Friesen awaken during 4-1 surge.

4 PHILADELPHIA

(5-2-3-1)Goalie Esche wins three in a row in battle for No. 1 job.

5 OTTAWA

(5-3-1-1)Rare frustration in 0-2-1 stretch.

6 ST. LOUIS

(6-3-0-1)Weight, Tkachuk combine for seven goals in 5-2 push.

7 DALLAS

(7-4-1-0)Guerin (six goals in last three) hot; Turco steadies.

8 ATLANTA

(5-3-3-1)Faltering after great start but still scrapping.

9 CHICAGO

(5-5-3-0) Sullivan, Calder fuel 4-1-3 surge. Leighton looks good.

10 BUFFALO

(6-5-1-0Drury, Satan, Pyatt give Sabres hope in 4-1-1 run.

11 BOSTON

(6-2-2-2) Surprisingly good work by Raycroft, Potvin.

12 COLORADO

(6-5-0-0)Erratic before Kariya (wrist) and Forsberg (groin) were hurt.

13 MINNESOTA

(5-6-1-0)Repeating last season in 4-1 surge. Gaborik back tonight.

14 N.Y. ISLANDERS

(6-3-2-0) Offense is streaky, but they’re tenacious.

15 N.Y. RANGERS

(4-3-2-1)Points in seven of eight games. Almost earning salaries.

16 DETROIT

(5-6-1-0)Hasek, Cujo have groin pulls. What’s defense’s excuse?

17 KINGS

(5-5-0-0)Goaltending must be better for them to compete.

18 PITTSBURGH

(3-4-3-0)Lemieux (muscle pull) might sit out next few games.

19 TORONTO

(5-4-2-1)Lost three of four, two of them stinkers at home.

20 DUCKS

(4-7-1-1)Scoring woes are baffling. Goaltending not great either.

21 FLORIDA

(4-6-2-0)Haven’t won two straight yet. Defense spotty.

22 NASHVILLE

(4-6-1-0)Win over Detroit the exception, not a rule.

23 MONTREAL

(6-6-0-0) Shut out twice in last four, three times in last eight.

24 EDMONTON

(4-5-1-0)Giving up too many goals, considering popgun offense.

25 CALGARY

(5-4-0-1)Return of Reinprecht (shoulder) should add scoring punch.

26 CAROLINA

(2-5-4-0) Goals scarce in losing three straight.

27 SAN JOSE

(2-5-5-0)Scoring picking up after slow start.

28 PHOENIX

(3-5-3-0)Defense, goaltending shaky in 0-5-3 slump.

29 WASHINGTON

(2-8-1-0)Gonchar, GM McPhee could be gone before swoon ends.

30 COLUMBUS

(3-7-0-1)Outscored, 24-11, in losing seven straight.