Updated: April 22, 2013, 9:52 AM ET

Power Rankings: Hawks still a-cruisin'

Week:

By Scott Burnside (posted April 22, 2013)

As expected, the 48-game schedule has given us no shortage of storylines and ups and downs. But the one constant has been the presence of the Chicago Blackhawks at the top of the Power Rankings. Things don't change much as we head into the final week. Beyond that, watch out for the surprising Islanders, Capitals and Blue Jackets. Read on.

2012-2013 Power Rankings: Week 14
RANK	TEAM / RECORD	TRENDING	COMMENTS
1	Chicago 34-5-5	-- Last Week: 1	The Blackhawks have not been beaten in regulation in 11 games (9-0-2), although a recent injury to Ray Emery, who has been terrific as a counterpoint to Corey Crawford, is mildly troubling. Big game with Vancouver on Monday night: possible Western Conference finals matchup?
2	Pittsburgh 34-10-0	-- Last Week: 2	The Penguins wrapped up the top spot in the East with a win in Boston on Saturday and are an incredible 21-2-0 in their past 23 games. James Neal and Evgeni Malkin practiced with the team Sunday, Paul Martin is inching closer to a return and Sidney Crosby continues to skate.
3	Vancouver 25-13-7	4 Last Week: 7	The Canucks are 6-2-1 in their past nine and shook off a lopsided loss to Dallas with a shootout win over Detroit on Saturday. Having eclipsed the Minnesota Wild atop the Northwest, the Canucks could end up with the second seed.
4	Los Angeles 26-14-5	1 Last Week: 3	The Kings blew a two-goal lead against Dallas on Sunday but still came up with the overtime win. The Kings are trending toward home-ice advantage in the first round as the fourth seed in the West.
5	Anaheim 28-11-6	-- Last Week: 5	The Ducks snoozed a bit, going winless in four, but bounced back Sunday night with a road win over Edmonton.
6	Washington 25-18-2	4 Last Week: 10	What a remarkable turnaround for the Caps, who have gone 10-1-1 in their past 11 to assume the top position in the Southeast. Alex Ovechkin has been stunning in his late-season bid for the Rocket Richard Trophy and the Hart Trophy discussion as league MVP.
7	St. Louis 26-17-2	2 Last Week: 9	The Blues, Kings and Sharks are in a dogfight for fourth and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and there's not much to separate them, even though both San Jose and St. Louis lost Sunday. The Blues are 9-3-0 in their past 12 and have rediscovered that gritty, defensive game that made them so dangerous a year ago.
8	San Jose 24-14-7	3 Last Week: 11	The Sharks were edged 4-3 by surging Columbus on Sunday but have been impressive since GM Doug Wilson's trade deadline makeover.
9	Boston 27-12-5	3 Last Week: 6	The Bruins capped an emotional week with a 3-0 win over the Panthers on Sunday, halting a four-game winless streak and jumping into first in the Northeast. Milan Lucic drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch Saturday. No Nathan Horton, who was injured in a ridiculous fight with Jarome Iginla in Saturday's loss to Pittsburgh.
10	Montreal 27-13-5	6 Last Week: 4	More than a little panic settling in for Habs fans, who have seen the overachieving Canadiens go 2-5-0 in their past seven, allowing 29 goals in that period. All of which seems to be pointing toward a Montreal-Toronto clash in the first round of the playoffs in what would be their first postseason meeting since 1979.
11	New York 24-16-5	2 Last Week: 13	The Isles continue to write an incredible story to this season, going on a 11-1-2 run, including a dramatic shootout win in Winnipeg on Saturday. John Tavares is now front and center in discussion for the Hart Trophy.
12	Toronto 25-15-5	4 Last Week: 8	The Leafs clinched their first postseason berth since 2004 with an emphatic win over Ottawa on Saturday night. Let the good times roll in the center of the hockey universe.
13	New York 24-17-4	1 Last Week: 12	The Rangers still haven't locked up a postseason berth, but their 4-1 win over New Jersey that eliminated the Devils on Sunday was another big step in the right direction. They are 5-1-0 in their past six and have scored 18 times in their past three.
14	Ottawa 23-15-6	2 Last Week: 16	The Senators had a four-game win streak snapped by Toronto on Saturday and remain in precarious seventh place in the East. They have an emotional game on tap Monday with Pittsburgh visiting, the first time the two teams will meet since Erik Karlsson's gruesome injury after getting tangled up with Matt Cooke.
15	Columbus 22-17-7	3 Last Week: 18	The Blue Jackets are doing it the hard way, winning on the road, but a victory in San Jose on Sunday put them in a tie with the Wild in the playoff bracket. With only two games left, the Blue Jackets have work to do, but they're one of the great stories of the season.
16	Winnipeg 23-19-4	3 Last Week: 19	The Jets aren't getting much help as the Caps, Rangers and Islanders keep winning. Still, a dramatic come-from-behind effort Saturday salvaged a crucial point against the Isles. They need to sweep their final three games against Buffalo, Washington and Montreal if they want to join the playoff dance.
17	Minnesota 24-18-3	2 Last Week: 15	The Wild can't help themselves, can they? Sunday's disappointing 4-1 loss to Calgary dropped the Wild into a tie in points for the final playoff spot in the West. It's fingernail-biting time in the State of Hockey, as they have just two wins in their past seven. Yikes.
18	Detroit 20-16-8	4 Last Week: 14	The Wings have not won two in a row in almost a month. No wonder it's nervous time in Hockeytown while Detroit tries to keep its monumental playoff streak alive.
19	Dallas 22-19-4	2 Last Week: 17	The Stars bounced back after falling behind the Kings and earned a point in the overtime loss. Not much margin for error now for the gritty Stars, who have three games left.
20	Phoenix 19-17-8	-- Last Week: 20	A monster shootout win over Chicago on Saturday kept the Yotes' slim playoff dreams alive. Must-win coming up against the Wings on Monday in Detroit, and the Coyotes will pretty much have to win out to sneak into the postseason.
21	Philadelphia 20-22-3	2 Last Week: 23	The Flyers have won three of four and have a chance in the final week to put a stick in the spokes of the Bruins, Islanders and Senators.
22	New Jersey 17-18-10	4 Last Week: 26	The Devils' slim playoff hopes evaporated with a disappointing loss to the Rangers on Sunday. A difficult offseason looms for the 2012 Stanley Cup finalists.
23	Calgary 19-22-4	5 Last Week: 28	The win over the Wild was the third in a row for the Flames, and Joey MacDonald, recently signed to a contract extension, was outstanding in goal. Good on the Flames for showing some gumption down the stretch.
24	Buffalo 19-20-6	3 Last Week: 21	An embarrassing loss to the Rangers on home ice on Friday ended the Sabres' playoff hopes. Is the end nigh for Ryan Miller and/or Thomas Vanek as the Sabres look to right the ship in the offseason?
25	Edmonton 17-20-7	3 Last Week: 22	The Oilers are staggering down the stretch as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Ducks at home on Sunday. We understand Kevin Lowe has won a few Stanley Cups.
26	Tampa Bay 17-24-4	2 Last Week: 24	Speaking of staggering, the Lightning's loss to the lowly Hurricanes on Sunday dropped them to 14th in the East. Lots of work in the offseason for GM Steve Yzerman.
27	Colorado 15-23-7	3 Last Week: 30	The Avs have played better since being publicly embarrassed by netminder J.S. Giguere and made life difficult for the Blues with a nice win Sunday.
28	Carolina 18-24-3	1 Last Week: 27	The end of the season can't come fast enough for the disappointing Hurricanes, who began the season with such strong hopes.
29	Nashville 15-21-9	4 Last Week: 25	The Predators are winless in eight as they end the season on an ugly note.
30	Florida 13-26-6	1 Last Week: 29	The Panthers have lost six in a row and seven of eight and are completely out of gas, as they are now firmly entrenched as the NHL's worst team. Seth Jones, come on down.
Biggest Jump: 5 Biggest Drop: 6

Power Rankings: Hawks still a-cruisin'

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