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Power Rankings: Warming Penguins starting to take off

Updated Nov. 17

The power play has been erratic, they manage to dig themselves into holes too often, and hey, Sidney Crosby isn't even leading the team in points. But chances are no one around the Pittsburgh Penguins is complaining these days.

Power Rankings: Warming Penguins starting to take off - NHL - CBSSports.com Hockey

The Penguins start the new week with the NHL's top scorer in Evgeni Malkin, one of its hottest players in Jordan Staal and for good measure, Crosby starting to catch fire by averaging two points in his last three games. Oh yes, and the Penguins are riding a six-game winning streak too, including a scintillating comeback against the Red Wings on national television in the first meeting between the teams since the Stanley Cup Finals,

Pittsburgh has won six of nine games it has trailed after 40 minutes this season, and put on a big show in Detroit with four third-period goals to send the game into overtime. It highlighted the explosiveness remaining on a team that underwent a major roster turnover and lost key defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney to serious injuries.

The Penguins offense hasn't always been on display this season, but Pittsburgh has outscored opponents 32-22 during its winning streak. Overall, the Penguins are 11-4-2, putting them on a pace to surpass their 105-point total of last season. More important, Pittsburgh is within four points of the Atlantic Division leading New York Rangers, who have played three more games.

All of which bodes well for the defending Eastern Conference champions, especially in a division that seems there for the taking. The Rangers have been uneven over the last couple of weeks, while the Devils have added Martin Brodeur to their long injury list and Philadelphia continues to redefine the term streaky. Meanwhile the Penguins are hitting stride.

Here are this week's rankings:

Power Rankings
CurrentTeamPrevious
1Capitals · Trends1
Jose Theodore is playing his best hockey since joining the Caps. He has won 10 starts in a row despite facing more than 35 shots in each game.
2Sharks · Trends2
San Jose is riding an eight-game winning streak on the road, where it has league's best record.
3Kings · Trends6
They get ahead and put things away. The Kings are 22-0 this season when taking a lead into the third period.
4Blackhawks · Trends3
Chicago's power play has been struggling lately, connecting only once in 22 tries in the past seven games.
5Senators · Trends5
Ottawa did not allow more than two goals in a game during its 11-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 37-13.
6Canucks · Trends4
Mason Raymond already has scored more goals this season than in his first two combined.
7Coyotes · Trends8
Despite its problems scoring on the power play, Phoenix needs only one more win to match last season's total.
8Devils · Trends10
Is the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk the ticket out of a very winnable Eastern Conference?
9Sabres · Trends7
Only two wins in their past 10 games has put the Northeast title in jeopardy for the Sabres.
10Penguins · Trends9
Sid's still scoring on a regular basis, but the defending Cup champs look vulnerable in their back end.
11Avalanche · Trends11
With Matt Duchene leading the way, Avs rookies have put up 114 points this season.
12Lightning · Trends26
Stability looks to be coming with an ownership change and maybe a playoff spot, too, thanks to seven wins in their past 10 games.
13Flyers · Trends12
Struggling to bury shots lately. Philly had 72 of them in the past two games, but both were losses because the Flyers scored only once.
14Ducks · Trends14
The Ducks aren't doing it against Pacific Division rivals this season with only three wins in 17 games.
15Flames · Trends15
Jarome Iginla has scored only four goals in 2010 and none so far in February.
16Predators · Trends16
Falling fast in the West with only three wins in their past 10 games.
17Red Wings · Trends17
The injury jinx isn't letting up in Detroit with Tomas Holmstrom going down almost as soon as he returned.
18Hurricanes · Trends18
The selloff has officially begun with Niclas Wallin leaving. Ray Whitney is likely to be next.
19Canadiens · Trends20
Jaroslav Halak is starting to take control of the starting goaltending job in Montreal.
20Blues · Trends19
Plenty of pain caused by this offense. The Blues have won only 13 of 28 one-goal decisions, and eight of 25 when the other team scores first.
21Stars · Trends22
Marty Turco is making himself more attractive as the trade deadline approaches. The Stars goalie has stopped 98 of 101 shots in his past three starts.
22Wild · Trends21
The Wild are staying in the playoff hunt because of the way they play at home. Minnesota has picked up points in its past nine games at the Xcel.
23Thrashers · Trends23
Is Kari Lehtonen, just back from his conditioning stint, still the goalie of the future or one of the past?
24Rangers · Trends24
He rarely gets any goal support, so Henrik Lundqvist had to turn back 41 shots to end his personal six-game losing streak.
25Bruins · Trends25
Did you expect that it would take anything less than a shutout to end an ugly 10-game losing streak?
26Panthers · Trends13
Florida's offense has gone missing lately with the Panthers scoring only 12 times in the past 10 games.
27Blue Jackets · Trends28
Change apparently is good for the Jackets, who have won their first two under new coach Claude Noel.
28Islanders · Trends27
The ice might be thinning under coach Scott Gordon as the Islanders have been playing themselves out of the postseason race of late.
29Maple Leafs · Trends29
New Leafs goalie looks like the Giggy of old with shutouts in his first two starts.
30Oilers · Trends30
Ethan Moreau hasn't scored in 33 games, Shawn Horcoff in 15. That helps explain why Edmonton has only 11 goals in its past seven games.
 
 

 
 
 
 
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