With baseball spring training stealing attention from the last three weeks of the regular season, our hearts were warmed Saturday night when New Jersey's Patrik Elias scored the game-winning goal against the Oilers on Saturday with 8.4 seconds left to complete his hat trick. The fact he did it with cuts above and below his mouth after being hit in the face with a deflected puck made us downright giddy.
ESPN.com's secret formula has taken it in and spit it back out. To right any wrongs, click here and give us a few Rank Comments of your own.
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Team
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PVS
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W-L-T-OL
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ESPN.com says
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1. Devils
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3
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39-17-12-3
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The Devils should be glad the Avalanche are garnering all the attention. After all, there is just as much pressure on them to repeat.
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2. Avalanche
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1
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46-13-9-4
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Colorado clinched its seventh straight division title. Big deal. Bring on the playoffs.
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3. Senators
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2
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41-20-8-3
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Losing is one thing, but getting smoked by the Stars is very un-No. 1-seed-like.
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4. Red Wings
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4
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43-18-9-4
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A week after becoming a father Tomas Holmstrom scores a hat trick. Can you say baby boom?
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5. Flyers
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5
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39-21-10-2
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Right now, Roman Cechmanek over Dominik Hasek for the No. 1 goalie on the Czech Olympic team. Hands down.
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6. Stars
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8
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37-22-5-2
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Brett Hull is nominated for the Masterton Award. Exactly what has he persevered? Hitchcock's defensive system?
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7. Sabres
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10
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39-26-5-1
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The Sabres' acquisition of Steve Heinze and Donald Audette will turn out to be a bigger coup than folks think.
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8. Capitals
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6
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37-23-10-2
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Exactly what has Trevor Linden done since helping the Canucks to the '94 finals? That's what we thought.
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9. Penguins
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7
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36-26-8-2
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The name Johan Hedberg doesn't fill Pens fans with unbridled optimism.
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10. Oilers
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12
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35-24-10-3
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Craig MacTavish should not be overlooked as a legitimate candidate for coach of the year.
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11. Blues
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9
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40-24-6-2
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Good news: Pierre Turgeon has 3-7-10 in the last two games. Bad news: The Blues are 1-5-3 in their last nine.
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12. Maple Leafs
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13
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33-24-11-5
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Name one person in hockey who has been successful as a coach and GM.
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13. Sharks
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11
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35-24-11-2
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"It's nuts and bolts time of the year and we don't have enough nuts and bolts." -- coach Darryl Sutter after Sunday's loss to Detroit.
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14. Kings
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19
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33-27-10-1
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Who put what on Felix Potvin's corn flakes?
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15. Hurricanes
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17
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32-28-8-3
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Arturs Irbe on not being warmed up when finally facing an Islanders' shot: "I don't think I'm entitled to do exercises in the crease while the puck is in play."
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16. Coyotes
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15
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31-24-15-2
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Remember how the Coyotes started the season at 9-1-5? Just checking.
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17. Canucks
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14
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35-23-8-7
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The Canucks will miss Markus Naslund's leadership more than his offense.
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18. Bruins
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16
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29-28-7-7
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Regardless of how the Bruins do from here on out, here is one vote for the Bruins keeping Mike Keenan.
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19. Predators
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20
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29-33-8-3
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We don't mean to play GM, but keeping Mike Dunham was the best thing the Preds could have done. Now if he could just stay healthy.
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20. Blackhawks
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18
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29-33-7-3
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Word out of Chicago is that Tony Amonte will be one of the core players named to the U.S. Olympic team next week. Like that's really a scoop.
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21. Blue Jackets
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22
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24-33-8-6
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The trading of Steve Heinze to Buffalo is just another reminder that pro sports is a business. Nothing more, nothing less.
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22. Mighty Ducks
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27
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24-37-8-5
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It's amazing how well some teams can play when it doesn't matter anymore.
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23. Lightning
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29
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22-40-6-4
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11 points in six games. Quick, break up the Bolts.
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24. Flames
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21
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23-30-14-4
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Which is more sad: Don Hay getting fired after less than a year or Craig Button hiring him in the first place?
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25. Rangers
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23
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27-38-5-1
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The sad part of the whole season is that it will rob Brian Leetch of Norris Trophy consideration.
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26. Panthers
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24
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18-35-11-9
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Memo to the Panthers: If Pavel Bure wasn't able to do it alone this year, he won't be able to next season, either.
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27. Canadiens
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25
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24-38-6-4
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Ever get the feeling the Habs could have gotten more for Eric Weinrich than Patrick Traverse if they had just waited a week?
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28. Wild
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26
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24-33-10-5
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Without O'Donnell, Leschyshyn and Pellerin, the Wild are just another expansion team. Oh well.
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29. Thrashers
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28
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20-38-12-2
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Ray Ferraro, the quote machine, on Kamil Piros, the Thrashers' acquisition for Audette: "'I don't know how good he is, who he is ... I don't even know what position he plays."
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30. Islanders
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30
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19-44-6-3
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Poetic justice would be the Islanders finishing dead last and not getting the No. 1 pick in the draft.
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