Power Rankings: Surging Flames find ignition point - NHL

Updated Dec. 8

The Calgary Flames have gotten some attention lately because their star young defenseman, Dion Phaneuf, was a central character in last week's Sean Avery controversy. But the more pertinent, if less glamorous, story about Calgary is its much improved play these days.

Power Rankings: Surging Flames find ignition point - NHL - CBSSports.com Hockey

The Flames capped the week with a fourth consecutive road win, beating the Rangers 3-0 in a game that saw Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff get away with robbery. It was the Flames' seventh victory in nine games and helped them gain a share of first place in the Northwest Division, the tightest race in the NHL right now.

Only six points separate top from bottom in the Northwest, which has tended to be the most competitive division in the NHL since the lockout. No team has clearly established itself as a dominant force this season, but the Flames have been the best of the bunch lately and their run includes four straight wins against division rivals.

Calgary actually got off to a strong start this season with one of the league's oldest lineups, but the Flames started struggling in November and seemed to reach a turning point after being blown out 6-1 in San Jose on Nov. 13. That sparked a few colorful meetings about tightening up defensively over the next few days headed by coach Mike Keenan, and the message seemed to get through.

"I think we've been playing better system-wise since then," Kiprusoff said.

Clearly. With captain Jarome Iginla as usual leading the way, Calgary has outscored opponents 28-17 during this recent stretch, and outshot them 303-230. The power play could do better than eight goals in the past 42 tries, but the penalty killers have been outstanding, stopping 26 of the past 28 chances. It all adds up to a pretty hot team right now.

Here are this week's rankings:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Capitals · Trends	1
	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.
	2	Sharks · Trends	2
	San Jose is riding an eight-game winning streak on the road, where it has league's best record.
	3	Kings · Trends	6
	They get ahead and put things away. The Kings are 22-0 this season when taking a lead into the third period.
	4	Blackhawks · Trends	3
	Chicago's power play has been struggling lately, connecting only once in 22 tries in the past seven games.
	5	Senators · Trends	5
	Ottawa did not allow more than two goals in a game during its 11-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 37-13.
	6	Canucks · Trends	4
	Mason Raymond already has scored more goals this season than in his first two combined.
	7	Coyotes · Trends	8
	Despite its problems scoring on the power play, Phoenix needs only one more win to match last season's total.
	8	Devils · Trends	10
	Is the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk the ticket out of a very winnable Eastern Conference?
	9	Sabres · Trends	7
	Only two wins in their past 10 games has put the Northeast title in jeopardy for the Sabres.
	10	Penguins · Trends	9
	Sid's still scoring on a regular basis, but the defending Cup champs look vulnerable in their back end.
	11	Avalanche · Trends	11
	With Matt Duchene leading the way, Avs rookies have put up 114 points this season.
	12	Lightning · Trends	26
	Stability looks to be coming with an ownership change and maybe a playoff spot, too, thanks to seven wins in their past 10 games.
	13	Flyers · Trends	12
	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.
	14	Ducks · Trends	14
	The Ducks aren't doing it against Pacific Division rivals this season with only three wins in 17 games.
	15	Flames · Trends	15
	Jarome Iginla has scored only four goals in 2010 and none so far in February.
	16	Predators · Trends	16
	Falling fast in the West with only three wins in their past 10 games.
	17	Red Wings · Trends	17
	The injury jinx isn't letting up in Detroit with Tomas Holmstrom going down almost as soon as he returned.
	18	Hurricanes · Trends	18
	The selloff has officially begun with Niclas Wallin leaving. Ray Whitney is likely to be next.
	19	Canadiens · Trends	20
	Jaroslav Halak is starting to take control of the starting goaltending job in Montreal.
	20	Blues · Trends	19
	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.
	21	Stars · Trends	22
	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.
	22	Wild · Trends	21
	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.
	23	Thrashers · Trends	23
	Is Kari Lehtonen, just back from his conditioning stint, still the goalie of the future or one of the past?
	24	Rangers · Trends	24
	He rarely gets any goal support, so Henrik Lundqvist had to turn back 41 shots to end his personal six-game losing streak.
	25	Bruins · Trends	25
	Did you expect that it would take anything less than a shutout to end an ugly 10-game losing streak?
	26	Panthers · Trends	13
	Florida's offense has gone missing lately with the Panthers scoring only 12 times in the past 10 games.
	27	Blue Jackets · Trends	28
	Change apparently is good for the Jackets, who have won their first two under new coach Claude Noel.
	28	Islanders · Trends	27
	The ice might be thinning under coach Scott Gordon as the Islanders have been playing themselves out of the postseason race of late.
	29	Maple Leafs · Trends	29
	New Leafs goalie looks like the Giggy of old with shutouts in his first two starts.
	30	Oilers · Trends	30
	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.