Power rankings: Down the stretch they come

The focus moves from the trade deadline to the home stretch of the schedule as teams play the final quarter of their season, most with a shot at the playoffs and only a handful knowing they're only spoilers at this point.

This week's power rankings, which are updated every Tuesday, examine what teams face in terms of road and home schedules and how many games they play against division rivals.

1.Anaheim Ducks (36-23-7, Previous: 7) – Nine of Anaheim's final 16 games are at home, and the Ducks have only three multi-hour flights left – to Chicago, Denver and Dallas. Anaheim is dominant at home again, 20-8-4. The Ducks oppose top division rivals San Jose and Dallas twice each the rest of the way.

2.New Jersey Devils (37-21-5, Previous: 3) – Atop the Eastern Conference standings for the first time since April 2001, the Devils finish similarly to how they started – with a road-heavy schedule. New Jersey plays 11 times on the road until the end starting Tuesday night. The Devils are 16-10-4 away. Aside from stops in St. Paul and Denver, New Jersey plays 17 against the East, including nine of its last 10 against division foes.

3.Dallas Stars (39-22-5, Previous: 1) – The Stars have only 16 games remaining, and nine are at home where they are 20-10-2. It hasn't mattered where they've played in February as Dallas is 10-2 for the month before Tuesday night in St. Louis. Only four games remain against Anaheim (two) and San Jose (two), the teams the Stars are battling for the Pacific Division title and probable No. 2 seed in the West.

4.Detroit Red Wings (42-17-5, Previous: 2) – Eleven of the Wings' 18 remaining games are at home where Detroit is 21-10-3 but just 1-4 of late. All but four of what's left on the Detroit schedule are against division opponents, and surprisingly the Red Wings have really struggled there, going just 7-9-2 vs. Nashville, Columbus, St. Louis and Chicago.

5.Pittsburgh Penguins (35-21-7, Previous: 8) – The Penguins venture on the road for 11 of their final 19, including each of their next three and six of seven. Pittsburgh is 17-11-2 as visitors. The Pens close with eight straight and 10 of 11 against Atlantic Division rivals.

6.Ottawa Senators (36-21-6, Previous: 5) – The Senators are going to have to be good on the road if they want to finish atop the conference and as division champs. They have 12 of their last 19 on foreign ice, including four against far Western foes (Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles and Phoenix in the span of six nights). Ottawa is 17-9-3 on the road thus far.

7.Calgary Flames (33-22-8, Previous: 11) – The Flames finish with 11 of their 19 remaining games on the road where they are 17-12-1, or not much different than their 16-10-7 mark at the Saddledome before Tuesday night. Calgary still has to go into and out of Canada eight times and finishes with nine straight against division foes, the last four of which are on the road.

8.Montreal Canadiens (33-21-9, Previous: 4) – After Tuesday night's visit by Atlanta, the Canadiens will split their final 18 games with nine at home and nine on the road. Montreal has been better away, going 19-9-4 as opposed to only 14-12-5 at the Bell Centre. The Habs still have to make a West Coast trip, too, with stops at every Pacific Division building except for Dallas.

9.Vancouver Canucks (32-22-8, Previous: 10) – Half of the Canucks' remaining games are on the road, all between March 2-28 when they appear only four times at home. Vancouver, 15-11-5 away, finishes with nine straight against Northwest Division opponents, including the last four all at home.

10.San Jose Sharks (33-21-8, Previous: 9) – It's a good thing the Sharks are decent on the road because they have a majority of their 20 games remaining on foreign ice – 11, where they are 19-8-3 and nine at home, where they have struggled to a 14-13-5 mark. Nine remain against Pacific Division rivals, including their last eight and four are against Anaheim (two) and Dallas (two), the teams they are battling for the division crown.

11.Minnesota Wild (34-23-5, Previous: 6) – Half of Minnesota's remaining 20 games are on the road, including the next five all against Southeast Division opponents interrupted by two games at home. The Wild have been slightly better at home 18-10-3 vs. 16-13-2. Minnesota's final eight games, and nine of its last 10, are against division opponents, including five at home.

12.Boston Bruins (32-23-6, Previous: 14) – The Bruins have 21 games remaining counting Tuesday's home match against Ottawa. Boston finishes with 12 at home. They sure can't complain about travel since they haven't played outside of the Eastern time zone since Oct. 13. Boston has had more success as visitors, going 18-11-3 on the road as opposed to 14-12-3 at home.

13.New York Rangers (32-24-8, Previous: 17) – Ten of the Rangers' remaining 18 games are on the road where they are 12-11-8. Their last 10 games are against Atlantic rivals. They still have four remaining against the arch-rival Islanders, both played consecutively on the schedule and one as a back-to-back.

14.Nashville Predators (32-24-8, Previous: 12) – The Predators' remaining 18 games leans toward the road where they play their next six and a total of 11 until the end of the season. Nashville is only 12-14-4 away from the Gaylord Entertainment Center, where they are a more comfortable 20-10-4. The Preds have 10 games left against division opponents, including each of the last eight.

15.Carolina Hurricanes (32-28-5, Previous: 19) – Ten of the Hurricanes' remaining 17 games are at home where they are 17-11-3. And 10 are left against Southeast opponents, including three against last-place Tampa Bay.

16.Phoenix Coyotes (32-26-5, Previous: 13) – The Coyotes have nine road games remaining but are never away from home for more than two consecutive contests. Phoenix has produced better results on the road – 18-12-2 as visitors as opposed to 14-14-3 at home in Glendale. Phoenix's last 10 games are against Pacific Division opponents, eight of which are against the three teams they are chasing – Dallas, Anaheim and San Jose.

17.Buffalo Sabres (30-24-9, Previous: 20) – The Sabres play 11 times at home with five one-game trips sprinkled in before finishing the regular season with a three-game trip to Toronto, Montreal and Boston. Buffalo has been better at home, going 16-10-4 as opposed to 14-14-3 on the road.

18.Colorado Avalanche (31-26-6, Previous: 21) – Nineteen games remain, which is a familiar ring for the Avalanche. That's what was left last year when they went on a miraculous run, winning 15 and earning a point in two others, but still fell one point short of the playoffs. This time the situation isn't as dire and the Avs have to be thankful that 13 of the games are against Northwest foes since they have ground to make up.

19.Philadelphia Flyers (31-25-7, Previous: 15) – Not sure it matters where and against who the Flyers play these days considering their complete nosedive, but 10 of their final 19 will be played at home. Eleven remain against Atlantic Division opponents, including each of the last eight.

20.New York Islanders (30-26-7, Previous: 22) – The Isles have 13 of their final 19 against Atlantic Division opponents. They've only completed half of their season-series eight games against the Rangers and Flyers. In addition to having four left against those teams, they have three left against Pittsburgh and two vs. New Jersey. New York can draw confidence from an 11-8 record against Atlantic rivals.

21.Chicago Blackhawks (29-27-6, Previous: 24) – A lot has to go right for the Blackhawks to finish among the top eight in their final 20 games, what with eight points to make up and five teams to pass. They play only eight on the road, and none of the trips are long. It hasn't mattered where it plays, Chicago is about the same at home (15-13-1) or away (14-14-5).

22.Washington Capitals (28-27-8, Previous: 16) – It's all about division games for the top four teams in the Southeast where only seven points separated first from fourth place going into Tuesday's action. The Capitals have eight of their remaining 19 against their closest rivals including two each – home and away – against Carolina, Florida, Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

23.St. Louis Blues (28-24-10, Previous: 18) – The Blues better pack a mighty punch in that suitcase because they play a marathon nine straight on the road between March 8-23. They go in and out of Canada twice on the long trip and play two sets of back-to-backs. St. Louis will have to turn around its road fortunes, which has seen it win just 10 of its first 29.

24.Columbus Blue Jackets (29-26-9, Previous: 23) – Ten of the Blue Jackets' final 18 games are at home, including a stretch of five straight from March 7-18. Columbus has been a lot better at home – 16 wins and at least a point in 22 out of 31 games there – than the road (13-17-3). The Jackets close with nine in a row against Central Division opponents.

25.Toronto Maple Leafs (27-28-9, Previous: 29) – The final 18 games can't go fast enough for the Maple Leafs. Their final eight games are against Northeast rivals, which they've had decent success (10-8-4) against. Maybe this team will relax a bit and play better past the deadline, not that it will really make any difference.

26.Atlanta Thrashers (29-30-4, Previous: 25) – Not in an enviable position, the Thrashers play 10 of their final 19 on the road where they are just 13-16-2. Atlanta's final seven games are against Southeast opponents.

27.Florida Panthers (28-30-7, Previous: 27) – The Panthers have to take advantage of a stretch of seven straight at home from March 6-22. Overall, Florida has only six road games remaining, but it hasn't burned it up on home ice to date (12-12-6). The Panthers' last nine are against Southeast rivals.

28.Tampa Bay Lightning (25-30-7, Previous: 29) – Double-figures out of both the division lead and the eighth and final playoff spot, the Lightning are doing nothing more than playing out the string. Their final eight games are against Southeast opponents.

29.Los Angeles Kings (26-34-4, Previous: 30) – No need for the Kings to be uptight, their fortunes were sealed by the holidays. They could put the biggest hurt on San Jose since the Kings and Sharks have three meetings left. Otherwise Los Angeles plays the three Pacific Division rivals Phoenix, Dallas and Anaheim twice each, both home and away.

30.Edmonton Oilers (28-30-5, Previous: 26) – Cast in the role of a spoiler, the Oilers play only nine of their final 19 against Northwest opponents. Edmonton, which finishes by playing four of five on the road, is a division-worst 9-12-2 against Northwest rivals.