Naturally, everyone is being painfully polite and coquettishly deferential, feverishly putting the positive PR spin on the whole storyline. There is, as they answer the questions, much nervous coughing and shuffling of feet and uncomfortable smiles.

	Peter Forsberg on a points title: "I really don't care, as long as we keep winning."

These guys need less work on the power play and more time at The Actor's Studio.

"I think it's being made too much of a big deal,'' protested Markus Naslund to the Vancouver Sun recently.

"If you watch us play, you see we're looking for each other and whoever is in the best position is going to get the puck. That's why we've been successful.

"Honestly, for his sake, I think he deserves to win it. He's set me up all year and is a very unselfish player. I wish him nothing but the best.''

Ah, but Todd Bertuzzi -- Big Bert -- begs to differ. As expected.

"I hope Markus wins it. He deserves everything that comes his way. When you think of Vancouver, you really think of Markus and how he has developed into the leader that he is. It would be awesome to see him take home everything.''

With the NHL's regular season hurtling toward its conclusion, tight races for both the goal-scoring and points titles are making office-pool players squirm and keeping fan interest bubbling.

The individual achievement awards have shaped up as a stare-down between two Western Conference powerhouses, the Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche.

Naslund (47 goals) and linemate Bertuzzi (46) are in line, along with the Avs' splendid Milan Hejduk (46), to claim the Maurice Richard Trophy as top goal scorer.

In what had been a taut four-man race, Naslund (103) and countryman Peter Forsberg (102) have emerged to vie for the Art Ross Trophy as top point producer. Boston's Joe Thornton (98) and Bertuzzi (95) have faded too far back to be considered serious threats now.

"I don't really care,'' Forsberg said. "As long as we keep winning.''

All the cliched protestations aside, the man who won both those baubles a year ago argues that deep down, underneath all the trappings of playing the good sport, every great player hungers for achievement. Political correctness be damned.

"I don't think it's being selfish at all to want to win either of those things,'' contended Calgary Flames right winger Jarome Iginla. "It doesn't make you a bad person or a bad team player. And I'm sure all those guys would love to win. It's a fantastic honor, a fantastic feeling, to be there at the awards ceremony ... even if, like me, you struggle a bit making speeches.

"It's so exciting, just being involved in races like those guys are. I still check the scoring stats every morning in the paper. I'm no different than anybody else. I'm interested to see what happens, how many points this guy or that guy picked up. I'm a fan now, too.''

	“	It's so exciting, just being involved in races like those guys are. I still check the scoring stats every morning in the paper. I'm no different than anybody else. I'm interested to see what happens, how many points this guy or that guy picked up. I'm a fan now, too. ”
		— Jarome Iginla, last year's Ross and Richard winner, on the scoring and points races

A year ago Iginla, who finished with 96 points and 52 goals, had both categories nailed down by the final week of the season. This time around, the uncertainty sets up for a boffo finish.

"Everything's still up for grabs, and that's great,'' said Iginla. "For the scoring, I'm picking Forsberg. If I'm not mistaken, he has three games left and Naslund has only two. Plus, he's just been on fire recently. He cut his deficit from four points to one in that last game, and the way he passes the puck gives him so many chances for points.''

These players left in the running are interesting contrasts style-wise, too: