Top to Bottom : CAPSULES AND RANKINGS

Team (Record): 1. Colorado (28-10-8)

Comment: There’s the Avalanche, and there’s the rest.

*

Team (Record): 2. Pittsburgh (25-15-5)

Comment: When Mario Lemieux feels great, rivals wince.

*

Team (Record): 3. Philadelphia (27-13-5)

Comment: One loss in 20 makes Flyers tops in East.

*

Team (Record): 4. Florida (22-13-10)

Comment: Wobbling, but still scrapping.

*

Team (Record): . Buffalo (24-17-5)

Comment: More heart than skill.

*

Team (Record): 6. Dallas (25-17-3)

Comment: Inconsistent offense is hurting the Stars.

*

Team (Record): 7. Detroit (21-16-8)

Comment: Defense was loose in 1-5-2 slide.

*

Team (Record): 8. New Jersey (22-16-5)

Comment: Coach Jacques Lemaire will drive Devils crazy--or to the Stanley Cup.

*

Team (Record): 9. Edmonton (21-21-4)

Comment: Showed promise in a 7-3 surge before break.

*

Team (Record): 10. N.Y. Rangers (23-19-6)

Comment: Big guns are blazing; team may need toughness.

*

Team (Record): 11. Washington (20-21-5)

Comment: Peter Bondra and Michal Pivonka are solid 1-2 punch.

*

Team (Record): 12. Vancouver (21-21-2)

Comment: Hanging in there until Trevor Linden returns.

*

Team (Record): 13. Phoenix (19-23-4)

Comment: Too much talent to be this low.

*

Team (Record): 14. St. Louis (21-22-4)

Comment: Blues are 3-2 under new Coach Joel Quenneville.

*

Team (Record): 15. Chicago (17-22-8)

Comment: If Ed Belfour can’t hack it, Jeff Hackett can.

*

Team (Record): 16. Tampa Bay (17-21-6)

Comment: Lightning made a 6-2-3 run before the break.

*

Team (Record): 17. Montreal (18-21-8)

Comment: Canadiens can fill the net but can’t stop anything.

*

Team (Record): 18. Mighty Ducks (17-22-5)

Comment: If Guy Hebert stays hot, they can make a move.

*

Team (Record): 19. Kings (17-23-5)

Comment: They were 4-0-1 before the break, but remember their fade after a 9-7-3 start.

*

Team (Record): 20. Hartford (18-20-7)

Comment: They break 0-8-1 run but are still fading.

*

Team (Record): 21. Calgary (17-23-5)

Comment: Winning four of five before the break kept Flames in playoff race.

*

Team (Record): 22. Ottawa (14-21-8)

Comment: Goalie Damian Rhodes is winless since Jan. 1.

*

Team (Record): 23. San Jose (16-23-5)

Comment: Can’t seem to put it all together consistently.

*

Team (Record): 24. Boston (16-23-6)

Comment: With goalie Bill Ranford hurt, Bruins are in trouble.

*

Team (Record): 25. N.Y. Islanders (13-23-9)

Comment: Potential hasn’t turned into results yet.

*

Team (Record): 26. Toronto (17-29-0)

Comment: Maple Laughs have lost last seven on road to nowhere.

GAME OF THE WEEK

COLORADO at PITTSBURGH

* When--Thursday. Time--4:30 p.m. TV--None.

* Storyline--This could be a preview of the Stanley Cup finals. The Avalanche extended its unbeaten streak to 9-0-3 Monday and the Penguins are 11-0-2. The Avalanche has Patrick Roy, and the Penguins have Patrick Lalime, whose 13-0-2 start is the best by a rookie goalie. The Avalanche probably has an edge in depth, winning even though Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic have been idled because of leg injuries, but the Penguins’ top line of Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis and Jaromir Jagr has been terrorizing the NHL for the last month.