THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* Rk. Team Comment 1 DETROIT (46-20-11-2) Legace is the Manny in Hockeytown while Cujo’s ankle heals. 2 TAMPA BAY (45-21-8-6) Martin St. Louis good candidate for MVP. He might win scoring title too. 3 SAN JOSE (41-20-12-6) Sharks hit 100 points for first time on 8-1-1 push. Primeau, Ekman step up. 4 BOSTON (39-18-14-7) Samsonov’s return from rib injury boosts speed, skill, depth. 5 DALLAS (40-24-13-2) Playing tough despite injuries to Zubov, Lehtinen, Klemm. 6 TORONTO (43-24-10-3) Veteran centers Francis, Nieuwendyk contribute on offense. 7 NEW JERSEY (41-24-12-2) Stevens (concussion) progressing slowly. He’s missed on ice, in locker room. 8 OTTAWA (41-22-10-6) Prusek gets big chance with Lalime (knee) listed as day to day. 9 PHILADELPHIA (39-20-14-6) Roenick tenacious in returning from Feb. 12 concussion and broken jaw. 10 EDMONTON (35-27-12-5) Local kid Pisani scores six in last six. Oilers get at least a point in 16 straight. 11 CALGARY (40-29-7-3) Iginla (39 goals) making a run at goalscoring title. 12 MONTREAL (40-28-7-4) Scored only three goals in last three. Can’t stop grinding now. 13 ST. LOUIS (37-28-11-2) Playoff hopes rest on last four vs. Oilers, Red Wings, Predators, Wild. 14 VANCOUVER (40-24-10-5) Cloutier wins three in a row for first time since late January. 15 COLORADO (39-22-13-5) Selanne’s winner against Kings ends 0-5-1 slide. 16 BUFFALO (36-32-7-4) If season were 10 games longer, Sabres might pass Islanders. 17 NASHVILLE (35-28-11-4) Face Blackhawks twice, Blues, Avalanche with playoff spot at stake. 18 N.Y. ISLANDERS (36-29-10-4) Can’t clinch last East spot. Losing Jason Blake (ankle) won’t help. 19 CAROLINA (28-32-13-6) Hurricanes have played spoiler by beating Islanders, Senators. 20 MINNESOTA (27-29-20-3) From West finalist to also-ran. Never overcame Gaborik dispute. 21 KINGS (28-27-16-8) Eight-game winless streak destroys playoff chances. 22 ATLANTA (32-36-8-4) Kovalchuk (39 goals) also has a shot at goal-scoring crown. 23 COLUMBUS (24-43-8-4) Nash is first teen to score 40 since Kings’ Jimmy Carson in 1988. 24 DUCKS (28-34-10-8) Talented on paper, disjointed on the ice. A big disappointment. 25 PITTSBURGH (21-46-8-4) Tarnstrom, Koltsov, Malone provide hope in 9-3-3 surge. 26 FLORIDA (28-33-14-4) Luongo stretches record to 2,247 saves. Not much help in front of him. 27 N.Y. RANGERS (26-38-7-8) Messier’s home and Ranger finale might be Wednesday. It’s time. 28 CHICAGO (20-40-11-7) Thibault comes back, but way too little and way too late. 29 WASHINGTON (22-45-9-2) Yeats is fifth goalie they’ve tried this season, with same result. 30 PHOENIX (21-35-18-6) One win in last 20. Maybe it wasn’t Francis’ fault.

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