Team (Record) Comment1. Phoenix (15-3-3) Coyotes hit...

Team (Record) Comment

1. Phoenix (15-3-3) Coyotes hit the road; road hits back.

2. New Jersey (15-7-2) Offense awakens in 6-1-2 surge.

3. Buffalo (13-5-4) There’s Hasek, then there’s the rest.

4. Toronto (15-10-2) Quinn does it with mirrors.

5. Dallas (15-5-3) Role players key to 8-2-1 run.

6. Detroit (14-9-1) Fedorov stirs in 6-1-1 push.

7. Carolina (12-10-5) Kidd, Irbe shine in 4-0-2 streak.

8. Boston (11-7-6) Squeaking by in 5-0-2 streak.

9. Colorado (11-11-2) Three big wins balance record.

10. Philadelphia (12-8-4) Jones deal proves good move.

11. Rangers (10-9-7) Nedved key in 5-0-1 rise.

12. Ottawa (12-8-3) Small market, big talents.

13. Pittsburgh (10-7-7) Jagr, Lang, Straka stay hot.

14. Vancouver (10-13-3) Snow stops 79 of 83 in win, tie.

15. Mighty Ducks (9-11-5) Power play perks up in last three.

16. Edmonton (13-11-1) Bad losses to Lightning, Stars.

17. St. Louis (9-8-5) Thin offense disappears in 1-3 skid.

18. Chicago (8-14-3) Amonte first to score 20.

19. Washington (8-13-3) Injuries continue in 2-6 slide.

20. Calgary (9-15-2) Flickering Flames win two of three.

21. Florida (8-10-6) Ciccarelli returns, wins don’t.

22. Nashville (9-14-1) First three-game losing streak.

23. Islanders (10-16-0) Outscored, 22-10, in losing last five.

24. Montreal (8-14-3) Can’t score ‘em, can’t stop ‘em.

25. San Jose (5-13-6) Wanted Fleury, couldn’t close deal.

26. Tampa Bay (7-16-2)Almost as bad as Kings (1-10).

27. Kings (6-17-3) Mistakes abound in 1-11 nightmare.

GAME OF THE WEEK

PHILADELPHIA at NEW JERSEY

When--Today. Time--4:30 p.m. TV--None.

* Story line--The top Atlantic Division teams meet in the opener of a home-and-home series. The Flyers are 7-2 in their last nine, including a 6-1 rout of the Devils on Nov. 14. Eric Lindros, with 12 goals and 33 points, and John LeClair, with 18 and 30, rank among the NHL’s scoring leaders. Winger Keith Jones, who has been playing with Lindros and LeClair, has five goals and 11 points in eight games since his acquisition from Colorado. The Devils are defensive demons, but their last game was a run-and-gun festival that produced a 7-5 victory over the Islanders. Their offense and defense have gotten a boost since Scott Niedermayer ended his holdout. The talented defenseman has 13 points in 15 games and is sneaking into the ranks of the league’s top-scoring defensemen. The Devils have a 5-0-2 home unbeaten streak.