Updated: March 25, 2013, 11:03 AM ET

Power Rankings: Hawks still rock

Week:

By Pierre LeBrun (posted March 25, 2013)

I was mighty tempted to put Pittsburgh first in our rankings, but I just can't demote a Chicago team that has only three regulation losses on the season. Three! Still, the Pens are charging mighty hard.

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2012-2013 Power Rankings: Week 10
RANK	TEAM / RECORD	TRENDING	COMMENTS
1	Chicago 24-3-3	-- Last Week: 1	The Blackhawks finally get back to work Monday night after not playing since last Wednesday's loss at Anaheim. And it's a heck of tilt at the UC versus the reigning Cup champs from L.A.
2	Pittsburgh 25-8-0	1 Last Week: 3	Make it a dozen wins a row for Sidney Crosby and the gang. And now they get to welcome veteran winger Brenden Morrow to the fold after his Sunday acquisition from Dallas. Ray Shero strikes again.
3	Anaheim 22-5-4	1 Last Week: 2	After an inspired win over the Blackhawks, the Ducks drop a two-game sweep at home to Detroit over the weekend. The Ducks play in Chicago on Friday night in what will be a must-see tilt. Again.
4	Montreal 20-6-5	-- Last Week: 4	The Canadiens can make a statement this week, with a shot at ending the Penguins' 12-game win streak Tuesday in Pittsburgh and then facing the rival Bruins at Boston on Wednesday with first place in the Northeast on the line. Heck of a week for the Habs.
5	Boston 20-7-3	-- Last Week: 5	The B's have dropped three of four games, the offense suddenly running low with only six goals in those four games.
6	Minnesota 10-18-2	2 Last Week: 8	Make it five straight wins for a Wild team that has come together and is playing its best hockey of the season. Minnesota's three losses in the month of March (8-3-0)? Twice to Anaheim and once to Chicago. They're beating everyone else in the West.
7	Los Angeles 17-12-2	-- Last Week: 7	The Kings embark on a big-time trip with games at Chicago, St. Louis, Minnesota, Dallas and Phoenix. It's a critical juncture in their season.
8	Vancouver 17-9-6	5 Last Week: 13	Four wins in a row, all with Cory Schneider in goal, for a Canucks team that has turned around a season going south. The contenders are back, but they can still use a No. 3 center.
9	Detroit 16-11-5	1 Last Week: 10	Two big statement wins in Anaheim over the weekend for a Red Wings team beginning to find its stride with four wins in its past five games.
10	Ottawa 17-9-6	1 Last Week: 9	The Senators just keep winning and winning and winning, despite all that top-end talent sitting in the medical ward. Running out of words to describe this accomplishment.
11	St. Louis 17-12-2	5 Last Week: 6	Blues had a disappointing 1-2-0 trip to Western Canada, especially Sunday's 3-2 loss at Calgary, a game in which they outshot the Flames 38-17. The power play is struggling; it went 0-for-9 on the trip.
12	Toronto 17-12-3	2 Last Week: 14	Not all wins are created equal. Saturday's home win over Boston was as much mental relief as the two points in the standings, finally beating a Bruins team it just could never beat. Problem is, they play each other again Monday night in Beantown.
13	Washington 15-16-1	15 Last Week: 28	A dramatic rise up the rankings! The Caps are playing their best hockey of the season and find themselves just two points out of a playoff spot.
14	Winnipeg 17-14-2	3 Last Week: 11	The Jets were absolutely crushed at home in back-to-back nights by the Caps but had a nice response Sunday night with a win over Tampa.
15	New Jersey 15-11-6	-- Last Week: 15	Two wins in a row help steady the ship but the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk will be mighty tough to overcome for a team that struggles to score as it is (24th in offense).
16	New York 15-13-3	5 Last Week: 21	Losses to Florida and Washington once again bring panic to the hearts of Rangers fans.
17	Carolina 15-13-2	5 Last Week: 12	The injury-riddled Hurricanes are winless in five games heading into its biggest game of the season at home versus Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
18	Dallas 15-13-3	4 Last Week: 22	Two home games with red-hot Minnesota this week as the Stars hang on for dear life to the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
19	Columbus 13-13-6	2 Last Week: 17	The streak finally ends with a 5-2 loss to Nashville. Sergei Bobrovsky, however, has been lights out and this is a franchise that dearly wanted to find a franchise goalie forever.
20	San Jose 13-11-6	4 Last Week: 16	A home-and-home with the mighty Anaheim Ducks starts the week as the Sharks sit one point out.
21	Nashville 13-13-6	3 Last Week: 24	An important week for the Preds to stay in the race: games with Edmonton, Phoenix and Colorado.
22	New York 14-15-3	3 Last Week: 19	The trip that defines their playoff hopes this season? Games in Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New Jersey coming up.
23	Buffalo 13-15-4	6 Last Week: 29	Three wins a row plus winnable games at Tampa and Florida this week as the Sabres try to make one final run.
24	Philadelphia 13-16-2	1 Last Week: 25	Solid performance in Pittsburgh on Sunday night but Flyers fell short in overtime. Just like their season will also fall short.
25	Phoenix 13-14-4	7 Last Week: 18	After going winless in five games (0-4-1), the fading Coyotes get Detroit and Minnesota next.
26	Edmonton 11-12-7	6 Last Week: 20	Only three wins in 11 March games for the Oilers (3-5-3), who are four points out but with a million teams between them and eighth.
27	Calgary 12-14-4	4 Last Week: 23	Sell, sell, sell! The Jarome Iginla watch will intensify this week.
28	Colorado 11-16-4	1 Last Week: 27	It goes way beyond the coach but you have to believe Joe Sacco will pay the price for another lost season in Denver.
29	Tampa Bay 13-18-1	3 Last Week: 26	Guy Boucher does indeed pay the price for a hugely disappointing season in Tampa.
30	Florida 9-18-6	-- Last Week: 30	A Panthers club decimated like no other team in the NHL is just playing out the string.
Biggest Jump: 15 Biggest Drop: 7

Power Rankings: Hawks still rock

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