NHL power rankings: Bruins, Canucks back on top

Tarik El-Bashir assesses the top teams in the National Hockey League this week (Jan. 13). Records are through Thursday’s games.

5 Seconds

00:00

1 (1 last week): Boston Bruins; 28-11-1

Despite Saturday's 4-3 home loss to Vancouver, the defending champions remain the league's best team. Overall, they've won 11 of their past 13 games behind All-Star Game starter Tim Thomas, who sports a 1.95 goals against average and .939 save percentage.

Elsa / GETTY IMAGES

2 (3 last week): Vancouver Canucks; 28-14-3

Last season's runners up have won four of their past five games, are 10-3-1 since mid-December, and sit atop the league standings. League leading scorers Henrik and Daniel Sedin - 52 and 49 points, respectively - and the Canucks own the top power play (23.6 percent) and fourth ranked penalty kill (87.1).

SARAH CONARD / REUTERS

3 (2 last week): New York Rangers; 27-10-4

After winning 10 of 11 to seize control of the Atlantic Division, the Rangers suffered a rare defeat Thursday, falling to surging Ottawa 3-0 at home. The power play has only three goals in its last 33 chances, dropping to 22nd in the league (14.8-percent).

RAY STUBBLEBINE / REUTERS

4 (4 last week): Detroit Red Wings; 27-15-1

Inconsistency has crept into the Red Wings' game as they beat the Blackhawks but lost to the woeful Islanders minus all-Star center Pavel Datsyuk, who was sidelined with lower body injury. Datsyuk, though, returned for Thursday's 3-2 win over the Coyotes. Overall, the Wings are 6-4-0 in their last 10.

Gregory Shamus / GETTY IMAGES

5 (7 last week): Philadelphia Flyers; 26-12-4

Winners of four of their past five, they've closed to within two points of the Atlantic-leading Rangers. Backup goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has won two in a row, potentially igniting another netminder controversy on Broad Street.

Paul Bereswell / AP

6 (5 last week): Chicago Blackhawks; 26-13-5

After dropping their first four games of 2012 and losing 20-goal scorer Patrick Sharp for a month with an injury, the 'Hawks have steadied themselves, scoring a combined 10 goals in wins over Columbus and Minnesota. Slumping center Dave Bolland has four goals in the past three contests.

Jonathan Daniel / GETTY IMAGES

7 (6 last week): St. Louis Blues; 25-12-6

After closing 2011 with three straight losses, the Blues are back, winning four of five (4-0-1) to open 2012 and pull to within a point of the Blackhawks in the Central Division. Goalie Jaroslav Halak is 7-0-3 in his last 10 starts after a rocky start to the season.

Paul Chiasson / AP

8 (8 last week): San Jose Sharks; 24-11-5

All-Star Game coach Todd McLellan and the Pacific Division-leading Sharks have opened 2012 by winning five of six (5-0-1). They've allowed 1.6 goals per game during that stretch and rank fifth overall in that category with a season average of 2.3.

FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS

9 (not ranked last week): Ottawa Senators; 24-15-6

A season after finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference, a resurgent Jason Spezza has the Senators on a roll. The All-Star Game hosts are 10-1-2 in their last 13 after Thursday's 3-0 romp over the East-leading Rangers. Spezza, 28, is on pace for 81 points, which would be his highest total in five seasons.

Frank Franklin II / AP

10 (not ranked): Nashville Predators

Despite the lowest payroll in the league, they've won 12 of 16 games dating to Dec. 8 and own the 10th highest point total in the NHL, an effort led by All-Star defense Shea Weber and Ryan Sutter. Goalie Pekka Rinne has yielded 14 goals in his last seven starts (6-0-1).

Mark Humphrey / AP

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich, southeast London May 22, 2013. British Prime Minister David Cameron has called a meeting of his government's emergency Cobra security committee after the killing of a man in south London, his office said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth (BRITAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Terrorism cited in London cleaver attack

Two assailants hacked to death a man reported to be a British soldier on a busy East London street Wednesday afternoon before delivering an apparent...

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: Statues on display on the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden in The Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on May 21, 2013 in London, England. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the RHS celebrates its 100th birthday this year. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Photos of the day

Chelsea Flower Show, face transplant in Poland, Oklahoma residents cope with tornado aftermath and more.

MOORE, OK - MAY 22: A street of tornado destructed homes is reflected on a puddle of water on May 22, 2013 in Moore, Ok. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Assessing tornado damage in Oklahoma

Amid great destruction, residents of the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore begin to assess the severity of the twister that hit Monday.

WASHINGTON DC: MAY 22
Contestant Travis Rumans, 31 dances with his beloved glow sticks for talent at Penn Social in Washington, DC on May 22, 2013. The contestants help raise over $15,000 for the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
The Mr. DC pageant is a fundraising event to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The qualifications for the Mr. District of Columbia finalists is that they must live, work and attend school in the District of Columbia between the ages of 21-30 who are unmarried, intelligent, and dapper in a suit.
(Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

Mr. D.C. Pageant contestants compete for charity

Contestants in the Mr. D.C. Pageant, a fundraising event, helped raise more than $15,000 for the Children’s National Medical Center.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - MAY 20: The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the United States Naval Academy. The plebes climb to the top of the lard-covered 21 foot high monument and remove the 'dixie cup' hat at the top replacing it with an upperclassman's hat. After completing this, the freshmen are called 'fourth class midshipmen.' This class completed the task in 1 hour 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The hat was placed by Patrick Lien from Orlando. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

The Herndon Climb

The Herndon Monument climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Ken Marino, Erica Oyama, Ben Stiller, Chris Harrison, and Mike Rosenstein aceept the Webby Award for 'Burning Love' at the 17th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 21, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Webby Awards)

Eye on entertainment

Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Emma Stone, 2 Chainz, Tyrese Gibson, Susan Boyle and more.

This combination of Associated Press photos shows left, a neighborhood in Moore, Okla., in ruins on Tuesday, May 4, 1999, after a tornado flattened many houses and buildings in central Oklahoma, and right, flattened houses in Moore on Monday, May 20, 2013. Monday's powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the region in May 1999. (AP Photo)

Okla. tornado loosely followed path of 1999 twister

Monday’s powerful tornado in suburban Oklahoma City loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the area in May 1999.

A Burrowing owl tries to perch on a protective rope in a public park in Cooper City, Fla. Monday, May 20, 2013 as rain falls. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Animal views

Fun and fascinating creatures around the world.

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.