Top teams keep winning, and bottom feeders can’t stop losing as the NHL gears for its final month.
That meant little movement at both ends entering Friday’s games, though a couple of Eastern Conference teams slid from top echelon to make room for surging Western squads in our Week 21 power rankings (previous ranking in parentheses).
1. (1) Boston Bruins, 49-9-5
Had won 10 in a row before blowing multi-goal lead to Edmonton on Thursday in failing to become fastest team in NHL history to top 50 wins by their 63rd game.
2. (3) Carolina Hurricanes, 43-12-8
Had won four in a row — outscoring opponents 17-4 — and needed just 62 games to record 20 wins on road and at home, surpassing franchise mark of 66 games set last season.
3. (2) New Jersey Devils, 42-16-6
Dawson Mercer saw league’s longest goal streak — tied for the most by any active player — end at eight games but collected multiple points in next three contests to extend points streak to 11 games.
4. (4) Toronto Maple Leafs, 39-17-8
Auston Matthews scored 51st game-winning goal, moving past Ron Ellis into fourth place on franchise’s all-time list.
5. (5) Vegas Golden Knights, 39-20-6
Won a fight-filled overtime game over Tampa Bay on Thursday to maintain lead atop Pacific Division and Western Conference.
6. (8) Dallas Stars, 33-16-13
Scored 10 goals in a road game for the first time in more than 37 years, when they were the Minnesota North Stars.
7. (12) Los Angeles Kings, 38-20-8
Five consecutive victories and undefeated since trade deadline as of Friday with new goalie Joonas Korpisalo stopping 52 of 56 shots in first two Kings starts.
8. (10) Minnesota Wild, 37-21-7
Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 46 shots — second-most of his regular-season career — as Wild extended team points streak to 11 games (9-0-2) Wednesday to tie Dallas atop Central Division.
9. (9) Edmonton Oilers, 36-22-8
Connor McDavid was held pointless for just the seventh time all season, but huge win over Bruins vaulted Oilers into points tie with Kraken with one additional game played.
10. (13) Seattle Kraken, 37-22-6
Five-game win streak ended against Ottawa on Thursday for a Kraken team with as many losses as victories at home at 16-13-3 compared with 21-9-3 on road.
11. (6) Tampa Bay Lightning, 38-21-6
Held to just four shots the first two periods — zero in the middle frame — by Carolina and headed in wrong direction overall with nine losses in past 12 games.
12. (7) New York Rangers, 35-18-9
Patrick Kane recorded first two points for the Blueshirts since last week’s trade, helping a team that had dropped six of past eight record a shootout win over Montreal.
13. (11) Colorado Avalanche, 35-22-6
Had dropped four of past five in a tough stretch facing contenders that could decide their ability to repeat as conference champs.
14. (16) New York Islanders, 34-25-8
Registered NHL-leading fourth third-period multi-goal comeback this season to beat Pittsburgh on Thursday and claim top wild-card spot in Eastern Conference.
15. (15) Pittsburgh Penguins, 32-22-10
Overcame four-goal deficit to beat Columbus on Tuesday before blowing third-period lead to Islanders on Thursday in battle of wild-card spot holders.
16. (14) Winnipeg Jets 35-24-2
Had lost seven of past eight while scoring only 19 goals that stretch as they struggle to stay ahead of Calgary for final conference playoff spot.
17. (18) Ottawa Senators, 33-27-4
Had won six of past seven by beating Kraken in critical road game to close to within four points of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
18. (19) Calgary Flames, 29-23-13
Ended five-game slide with a pair of wins against tough Dallas and Minnesota opponents but face uphill climb to catch Winnipeg for conference’s final playoff spot.
19. (17) Florida Panthers, 32-27-6
Aleksander Barkov recorded 158th multi-point game of his career to move past Jonathan Huberdeau for the most in franchise history.
20. (20) Buffalo Sabres, 32-28-4
Got blown out on home ice by Dallas for third consecutive defeat in a week that might have ended slim playoff hopes.
21. (21) Detroit Red Wings, 29-26-9
Edged lowly Blackhawks to halt six-game skid after jettisoning any playoff hopes at the trade deadline.
22. (23) Nashville Predators, 31-24-7
Pair of losses to Coyotes and Canucks exposed a team hanging around fringes of playoff race mostly due to playing non-contenders for a prolonged stretch of schedule.
23. (22) Washington Capitals, 31-28-7
Alex Ovechkin moved past the 1,467 career points compiled by Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita and sits 16th on NHL’s all-time list.
24. (28) Vancouver Canucks, 27-32-5
J.T. Miller scored seventh career overtime winner in 700th career game — tying him for third on all-time franchise list — for team that’s won three in a row.
25. (26) Arizona Coyotes, 21-31-9
Have played .500 hockey the past four weeks, warming up just in time for trio of late games that could dramatically shape Kraken’s playoff positioning.
26. (25) St. Louis Blues, 28-31-5
Newly acquired Jakub Vrana scored winning goal in home debut Thursday for a Blues team notching only its second victory in past 10 games.
27. (24) Montreal Canadiens, 26-33-6
Five consecutive losses had them drifting back toward pack of teams vying for the Connor Bedard pick.
28. (27) Philadelphia Flyers, 24-30-11
Philly fired GM Chuck Fletcher after he couldn’t get Ron Francis to take James van Riems … er, couldn’t get enough done at trade deadline for team that’s dropped 10 of past 12.
29, (29) Anaheim Ducks, 21-35-9
Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish had 53 goals and 88 assists among them, but only three other Ducks skaters have reached 10 goals for team averaging just 2.49 per game.
30. (31) Chicago Blackhawks, 21-35-5
Snapped four-game skid by trouncing the red-hot Senators 5-0, then promptly lost to ice-cold Detroit.
31. (30) San Jose Sharks 19-35-12
Team had dropped 10 of past 12, but defenseman Erik Karlsson nonetheless reached 20-goal mark for first time in eight seasons to continue torrid Norris Trophy pace.
32. (32) Columbus Blue Jackets, 20-35-6
Had dropped three in a row to maintain razor-thin edge over San Jose and Chicago in tank race for last place overall and best lottery odds.