TIMES’ RANKINGS

Team (Record): Comment

1. Dallas (7-2-2): Stars know way to lose to San Jose.

2. Phoenix (6-2-1): Refusing to fold--so far.

3. St. Louis (5-3-4): Defense solid in 4-1-3 surge.

4. Edmonton (8-5-0): Everything clicks in 5-1 run.

5. New Jersey (7-5-0): Defensemen chip in offensively.

6. Pittsburgh (5-3-4): Jagr (19 points) top NHL scorer.

7. Buffalo (5-3-3): Sanderson fuels 3-0-2 streak.

8. Boston (6-6-3): Pop-gun offense hitting mark.

9. Tampa Bay (6-6-2): Shoulda fired Espo long ago.

10. Carolina (6-5-3): Best team nobody comes to see.

11. Detroit (7-6-0): Wings will come out of 1-4 slide.

12. Vancouver (6-6-1): Old man Messier not done yet.

13. Philadelphia (5-5-4): Desjardins missed in 0-4-2 skid.

14. Toronto (6-6-2): Leafs scoring as many as they give up.

15. Montreal (6-5-2): First three-game winning streak.

16. Ottawa (6-5-0): Losing grip on defensive game.

17. N.Y. Islanders (7-7-0): Stole Donato from Bruins for Belanger.

18. Calgary (5-6-2): Final Flame flurry for Fleury?

19. Kings (5-6-3): Blake’s break a major blow.

20. Ducks (3-5-4): Falling just short in 0-2-3 slide.

21. Washington (4-6-3): Goals and healthy bodies are scarce.

22. San Jose (2-6-4): Showing some bite in 2-0-2 streak.

23. N.Y. Rangers (3-6-4): Harvey stirring silent offense.

24. Florida (4-5-3): Can’t put everything together.

25. Nashville (4-7-1): First road win a milestone.

26. Chicago (4-7-2): Outscored, 20-9, in 0-5-1 horror show.

27. Colorado (4-8-1): Getting late to write off to bad start.

GAME OF THE WEEK

PHOENIX COYOTES at DALLAS STARS

When--Wednesday. Time--5:30 PST. TV--ESPN2.

* Story line--The top two teams in the Pacific Division--and owners of the league’s top winning percentages--meet for the second time this season. Dallas, whose .727 winning percentage tops the NHL, was a 2-1 winner in their first encounter, on Oct. 22 at Reunion Arena. That was the Coyotes’ last loss. They’re riding a 4-0-1 streak and have a .722 winning percentage. The Stars are 5-1-1 since then, but suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss at San Jose last Wednesday, when the Sharks took only nine shots. The Stars are the only team without a home loss this season (6-0-1). Surprisingly, neither Dallas nor Phoenix has a player among the top 20 scorers. That’s a tribute to their offensive balance. Phoenix ranks first in team goals-against average at 1.65.

NUMBERS GAME

By February, when the Maple Leafs leave Maple Leaf Gardens, 15 of the NHL’s 27 teams will be playing in arenas that are under six years old.

Arena/City: Date opened

Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim: June 1993

San Jose Arena: September 1993

United Center, Chicago: August 1994

Kiel Center, St. Louis: September 1994

General Motors Place, Vancouver: September 1995

Fleet Center, Boston: September 1995

Corel Centre, Ottawa: January 1996

*First Union Center, Philadelphia: August 1996

Molson Centre, Montreal: March 1996

Marine Midland Arena, Buffalo: September 1996

Ice Palace, Tampa Bay: October 1996

MCI Center, Washington: December 1997

National Car Rental Center, Fla.: September 1998

Nashville Arena: October 1998

Air Canada Centre, Toronto: February 1999

Note--*Originally called CoreStates Center.