The Coyotes completed their climb to the top with a 4-0 win in Colorado on Monday. It's a good thing these Rankings came out on Tuesday, instead of the usual time, because they would have been outdated mighty quick since a road win vs. an undefeated team is unsettling to the secret formula. It needed a fair amount of Pepto anyway.
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Team
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PVS
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W-L-T
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ESPN.com says
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1. Coyotes
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3
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9-1-2-0
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Beat Avs on the road. Ownership deal should get done. Could things be any better? Yeah, Gretzky could suit up, but let's not push it.
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2. Avalanche
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1
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9-1-2-0
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Everyone needs to lose once in a while. But Patrick Roy allowed four goals on just 16 shots vs. Coyotes.
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3. Blues
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4
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8-2-1-0
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Last season, it took Scott Young 26 games just to score five goals. He now has 12.
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4. Devils
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6
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6-2-2-0
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Forget about Randy McKay and John Madden scoring four each vs. Pens. Scott Gomez finally getting his first is a big deal.
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5. Senators
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5
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6-1-3-0
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How can Alexei Yashin ask for $10 million when he's not even on the team's best line? Bad for Yashin; good for Senators.
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6. Red Wings
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7
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7-3-0-1
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Quietly, the Wings looking plucky. Martin Lapointe's six goals might mean he's ready to have breakout year he was supposed to have in '99-00.
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7. Stars
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2
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6-4-1-1
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Stars have allowed 14 goals in three consecutive losses.
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8. Sharks
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10
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6-2-1-0
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How does this happen? Sharks are four games over .500 and are in fourth place in the Pacific. Just Nabokov fair.
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9. Maple Leafs
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8
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6-4-0-0
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Goal scoring is an issue. Out of all the NHL teams over .500, no one has fewer goals than Toronto's 23.
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10. Sabres
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22
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5-3-1-1
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Talk about mercurial. Watching these guys rise and fall is nauseating.
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11. Ducks
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12
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6-4-1-2
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Marty Mcinnis' six goals means just as much as Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne having 27 points combined in 13 games.
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12. Canucks
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13
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6-2-2-1
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These guys are for real. Just ask Dallas, which lost to them 6-2 at home.
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13. Kings
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14
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5-5-2-0
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Columbus and Atlanta on the docket a nice break. But four points is essential if L.A. expects to keep pace in the Pacific, where no team is under .500.
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14. Penguins
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11
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5-4-1-0
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Allowing nine big ones vs. New Jersey re-raises goaltending questions. Don't get too mesmerized by Jaromir Jagr because Alexei Kovalev's pretty darn fun to watch, too. |
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15. Flyers
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24
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3-5-3-0
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Take LeClair, Recchi, Lindros and Therien out of the lineup and see how you do. Pass the ketchup.
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16. Oilers
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9
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6-5-2-0
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Finally won another game. Oilers better get rest this week (two home games) because after that, it's five straight on the road.
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17. Predators
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16
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4-2-3-1
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Preds are only 2-2-3 at home. Plus, they're only plus-1 in goal differential. Preds won't win too many blowouts.
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18. Rangers
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21
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4-6-0-0
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Tough team to read. Looked lifeless vs. Pens last Friday. Looked like the Russians circa 1976 against Boston on Sunday.
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19. Panthers
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26
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1-3-3-3
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A win. Finally. Blah, blah, blah ... we know they're not deep. But if Panthers don't start to roll, heads will.
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20. Islanders
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27
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3-3-2-0
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Message from GM Mike Milbury to anyone who thought Roman Hamrlik would struggle on a bad team: Shove it.
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21. Canadiens
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15
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4-5-2-0
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This is what happens when a team loses two straight to the Isles and ties the Wild. Automatic six-spot drop.
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22. Bruins
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23
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4-5-1-1
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Mike Keenan. Pat Burns. You could bring in Vince Lombardi and it wouldn't make the roster look any better.
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23. Capitals
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17
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1-5-4-1
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Bring it on, Caps fans. Tell us one thing that's going well. OK, getting Chris Simon back this week is a good thing. Anything else?
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24. Hurricanes
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18
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2-5-3-0
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Hey, one point out of first. HEY, three games under .500.
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25. Thrashers
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29
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1-3-5-0
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I think I saw Patrik Stefan on the back of a cereal box. It said he had two points, was missing and he's real sorry about it.
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26. Flames
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19
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3-8-1-0
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Derek Morris might not be the answer. But he'd certainly help this team be more competitive.
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27. Lightning
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20
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2-6-1-0
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Allowing goals Lightning quick. Tampa has given up 26 goals the last five games.
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28. Blue Jackets
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30
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2-8-0-1
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Nice win over Caps. But Blue Jackets have to find a way to turn the puck over less. They're really hanging goalies out to dry.
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29. Blackhawks
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28
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3-7-0-1
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What's a worse Original Six fate? To be a Blackhawks or a Bruins fan? Seems like a push from these seats.
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30. Wild
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25
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2-7-3-0
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Did you see that Matt Johnson-Mark Janssens battle Sunday in the Minnesota game? ESPN.com does not condone fighting, but we do condone another viewing of that donnybrook.
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