WHO’S HOTPaul Kariya and Teemu Selanne of...

WHO’S HOT

Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks. Each has recorded at least one point in six consecutive games, with Kariya collecting five goals and 12 points in that span and Selanne recording six goals and 10 points.

Hurricane goaltender Arturs Irbe. Let go by San Jose, Dallas and Vancouver, the 31-year-old Latvian is enjoying a renaissance with Carolina, which signed him as a free agent in August. His 0.76 goals-against average through Sunday was the NHL’s best.

New York Ranger goalie Mike Richter, who had back-to-back shutouts against Buffalo and Carolina--and got only three points out of it because Dominik Hasek matched him in the Buffalo nets.

WHO’S NOT

How low can the Colorado Avalanche go? A loss to the expansion Nashville Predators on Saturday might be the bottom. The Avalanche defense has crumbled and Patrick Roy (3.84 goals-against average, .862 save percentage through Sunday) has struggled.

Watch out for falling Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs were outscored, 12-3, in their last three games. Their power play is the NHL’s worst, at 7.1% efficiency, and their penalty killing is the pits, at 73.3%.

The Montreal Canadiens are winless in four (0-3-1) and are 1-5-1 in their last seven. Since scoring seven goals in their season opener, they haven’t scored more than three.

In their last

The Montreal Canadiens are winless in four (0-3-1) and are 1-5-1 in their last seven. Since scoring seven goals in their season opener, they haven’t scored more than three. In their last two home games they’ve been outscored, 12-2. Serves them right for deserting the Forum.