By DREW VAN DER POEL
Staff Writer
We are about one-third of the way done with the season, and the Montreal Canadiens sit atop the Eastern Conference. I don’t think anyone would have predicted the Habs to be to
p dog in the East at this point in the season, but there’s still a lot of hockey to be played.
1. Boston Bruins (1) – Only the lowly Sabres have been able to take the B’s down in regulation. They are averaging over 1.5 points per game, and they have allowed the fewest goals in the conference.
2. Montreal Canadiens (4) – Have climbed eight spots since the first rankings, the Habs are playing some great hockey. They have reeled off five straight wins, the last one being an imp
ressive road win at MSG.
3. Pittsburgh Penguins (2) – It seems that whenever the Pens start to gain some steam, they are brought back down to Earth, whether it be a heartbreaking home loss to the Flyers, or a home-and-home with New Jersey.
4. New Jersey Devils (5) – After an impressive win over the Lightning and a home-and-home sweep of Pittsburgh, the Devils have skidded, only earning three points in four games. Still, Martin Brodeur is playing stellar in net and David Clarson is tied for fourth in the league in goals.
5. Carolina Hurricanes (9) – The Canes are averaging close to three goals per game, and have won five of their last seven. They continue to get better as the season continues, and both Dan Ellis and Cam Ward have been stout in net.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs (10) – The Leafs are continuing to impress, having won six of their last eight. Ben Scrivens and James Reimer have both been great in goal. Do the Leafs look just like another team in these rankings? (See #5).
7. New York Rangers (8) – The Rangers’ power play is worst in the league, and they haven’t sustained a win streak larger than three all season. However, they’re still loaded with talent, and if they make the playoffs, you do not want to play them in the first round.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning (3) – After losing six straight games, the Bolts have regained their footing and won two in a row. They’ve scored more goals than anyone else in the conference, but have also given up more goals than any other team in the top nine.
9. Ottawa Senators (6) – First Spezza, now Karlss on, the injury bug has bitten the Senators hard. They still have a resilient bunch, but it’ll be hard for them to sustain the success they have experienced so far this season. Look for the Sens to drop over the next few weeks.
10. Philadelphia Flyers (11) – The Flyers have gone .500 over the last two weeks, and 3-3 over their six-game road trip. Still, their win over Pittsburgh to cap off the trip shows that the Flyers are still a force to be reckoned with. I think, finally, they will move up significantly in the rankings over the next couple of weeks.
11. Winnipeg Jets (12) – The Jets have a good team, but I don’t see them stringing off enough wins to make much of a playoff push. While they’re only four points out of eigth place, they are looking up at teams that are far superior to them.
12. New York Islanders (8) – 2-7 over their last nine games, the wheels are starting to fall off on Long Island. John Tavares is a star in this league, but it’s a team sport. Hope is not lost, but the Isles can’t afford another 2-7 stretch.
13. Washington Capitals (15) – The Caps are finally playing the hockey that they are capable of. It seems that Braden Holtby has become the established goalie between the pipes. If Ovechkin can start putting up a point or more a game, the Capitals could definitely make a playoff push.
14. Buffalo Sabres (14) – Lindy Ruff, the longest-tenured coach in the league, has been fired by the Sabres. It was a great run for Coach Ruff, but the Sabres are off to a poor start, and having not won a playoff series since 2007, it was time for a change in Buffalo.
15. Florida Panthers (13) – Giving up 3.7 goals per game, a league worst, the Panthers’ have a goal differential of -21. 10 worst than the next closest team in the conference. They have dropped five in a row, including three in overtime. It’s been tough times in Sunrise.
