NHL TOP TO BOTTOM

No. Team Comment

1. Colorado (35-9-8-1) Aw, give ‘em the Cup already.

2. St. Louis (34-11-5-2) Turek injury will test Blues.

3. Detroit (30-16-4-4) Now’s the time to catch Blues.

4. Ottawa (29-14-7-1) Senators the pride of Canada.

5. San Jose (29-15-8-0) Foolish hit by Nolan on Marshall.

6. Dallas (29-18-4-1) Eight-goal loss to Kings embarrassing.

7. New Jersey (27-13-9-2) Poised for post-break charge.

8. Vancouver (28-18-4-4) Potvin about to be dealt?

9. Philadelphia (27-16-9-1) Gagne emerging as a star.

10. Toronto (25-18-7-4) Good, but not great.

11. Pittsburgh (25-19-6-2) Mario at two points a game.

12. Phoenix (23-16-12-1) Pitiful in loss to Ducks last week.

13. Edmonton (25-21-8-1) Battling to keep playoff spot.

14. Buffalo (25-20-5-1) Sabres need more than only Hasek.

15. Washington (24-19-9-1) Bondra happy with new contract.

16. Boston (22-20-6-5) Denis Leary’s B’s looking better.

17. Nashville (23-24-7-2) Big wins over Phoenix, Ducks, Kings.

18. Kings (23-21-7-1) Beating champs, losing to dregs.

19. Carolina (23-20-6-2) Must win division to make playoffs.

20. Chicago (21-25-4-2) Comeback story of the season.

21. Calgary (18-21-9-4) Another good comeback story.

22. N.Y. Rangers (21-28-3-1) Worst team money can buy.

23. Minnesota (18-22-8-3) Closing in on .500.

24. Columbus (17-26-5-4) Closing in on respectability.

25. Montreal (18-28-5-3) Sale hardly easing tensions.

26. Atlanta (16-26-9-2) Audette having a career season.

27. Florida (12-27-8-7) Capitals’ futility record safe.

28. Tampa Bay (15-30-5-3) Lecavalier, Modin worth watching.

29. N.Y. Islanders (14-31-5-2) DiPietro getting his shot.

30. Ducks (16-29-6-4) Second-worst team money can buy.

Game of the Week

ST. LOUIS at COLORADO

When--Saturday. Time--5:30 p.m.

TV--ESPN2.

* Story line--The league-leading Avalanche can put another exclamation point on its dominance with a victory over the second-place Blues. Colorado center Joe Sakic is steaming toward his first MVP award and the first scoring title by someone other than Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr or Mario Lemieux in more than 20 years. No other team has the depth of the Avalanche. Plus, there’s always Patrick Roy in net to make things interesting. St. Louis goalie Roman Turek is scheduled to be sidelined for one game this week because of an elbow injury. He could be ready for this one. St. Louis defensemen Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger also are injured. The Blues will no doubt be feeling heat from the Detroit Red Wings, second behind the Blues in the Central Division.