Red-hot Penguins stay atop Super 16

Monday, 04.01.2013 / 1:00 PM / Super 16: NHL Power Rankings

By Dave Lozo - NHL.com Staff Writer

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The 2012-13 Pittsburgh Penguins are two wins away from tying the NHL record for the longest win streak -- set by the 1992-93 Penguins -- and that has them atop the Super 16 power rankings for a second straight week.

They'll likely have to spend the foreseeable future without Sidney Crosby, however, as the captain and Hart Trophy favorite is out indefinitely with a broken jaw.

The Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild continue to inch upward, while the Anaheim Ducks' struggles have them sinking fast this week.

Here are the complete Super 16 rankings:

RANK	LAST WEEK	COMMENTARY
1	1	Pittsburgh Penguins: When their 15-game win streak started, they were winning high-scoring affairs. Now the Penguins aren't even letting the other team score. Their last three victories in March were all by shutout and they haven't allowed a goal in 228 minutes, 24 seconds.
2	6	Montreal Canadiens: Everyone seems to think the Jack Adams Award has already been shipped to Paul MacLean's home, but what about the job Michel Therrien has done in Montreal? The Habs still have a chance of going from worst to first (or at least second) in the East.
3	4	Minnesota Wild: With Chicago and Anaheim plodding along after hot starts, the Wild have been playing the West's best hockey for two weeks. They've won eight of nine and rallied from down two goals to beat the Kings 4-3 in a shootout Saturday.
4	2	Chicago Blackhawks: Even with their blowout victory in Detroit on Sunday afternoon, the Blackhawks are 5-5-0 since their record-setting start to the season. But the returns of Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp are just around the corner.
5	10	Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks had their six-game winning streak brought to a screeching halt with a 4-0 loss in Edmonton. The Wild have been pushing the Canucks in the Northwest Division, and the banged-up Canucks have responded to the challenge.
6	11	Los Angeles Kings: Besides a two-game hiccup in which the Kings failed to score a goal, they have been rolling. They went 3-0-1 last week, all on the road, and are 5-2-1 in their past eight games.
7	7	Boston Bruins: The Bruins have scored two goals or fewer in seven of their past eight games. They are 5-5-1 in their last 11. It will be interesting to see what general manager Peter Chiarelli does to address this after the Jarome Iginla deal fell through.
8	13	Toronto Maple Leafs: There's no lowercase 'x' next to the Leafs' name in the standings, but they very likely solidified a playoff berth in March. They started the month 1-3-1, but finished strong by going 5-0-3. They are nine points clear of ninth place in the East.
9	9	Ottawa Senators: The Sens have been finding ways to grab points all season, but their mettle will be tested in April. They start the month with a seven-game road trip, but of their remaining 13 games, eight are with teams outside of the top eight as of Monday.
10	8	Detroit Red Wings: A three-game winning streak has been followed by a 2-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Sharks and a 7-1 trouncing by the Blackhawks. Henrik Zetterberg is day-to-day with a groin injury, and the Red Wings are just three points clear of ninth place.
11	3	Anaheim Ducks: On the bright side, the Ducks have beaten the Blackhawks twice in two weeks. Unfortunately for the Ducks, those are their only victories in the past seven games. Their lead in the Pacific over the Kings is down to eight points.
12	NR	San Jose Sharks: Since trading Douglas Murray, the Sharks have responded with four straight victories. GM Doug Wilson wanted to see how his team responded to the deal, and his team has risen from ninth to sixth in the West.
13	5	St. Louis Blues: Trying to get a read on the Blues is like trying to get a read on a champion poker player. They have been incredibly streaky all season, and they are currently marred in a stretch of four regulation losses in five games.
14	12	Columbus Blue Jackets: Their 10-game point streak was followed by three straight losses, but they've righted themselves with back-to-back wins. Sergei Bobrovsky has Vezina-worthy numbers, maybe even Hart-worthy.
15	14	New Jersey Devils: Bad news: Three games without Ilya Kovalchuk, three losses. Good news: Points earned in all three games. Bad news: In two of those losses, the Devils let a lead get away in the final minute of regulation. They're treading water without Kovalchuk.
16	NR	Edmonton Oilers: Just when they looked dead in the water, the Oilers won three straight against teams they're chasing in the standings. Devan Dubnyk is seventh in save percentage (.920) among goalies with at least 19 starts, but 15th in goals-against (2.58).