Power Grid: NHL Top 15

1st:  Pittsburgh Penguins: The Pens are 11-3 with 22 points leading the Eastern Conference by 2 points over Washington.  Sidney Crosby leads the Pens with 16 points and Alex Goligoski is having a great start with 5 goals and 7 assists.  The Pens lose Evgeni Malkin for a few weeks.   Pens embark on a 4 game road trip that includes 3 games on the west coast.   Will Malkin's absence slow the Pens?

2nd:  Colorado Avalanche: Ummm, they were not in our Top 15 preseason poll.  I doubt they were seriously in any pre-season power poll Top 15.  The Avs are 10-3-2 leading the Western Conference with 22 points.  Am I a believer?  Not yet.  Avs had a sensational October, no question, but let's wait at least the first two weeks in November to see if they stick around the top or begin to descend down the mountain.  Avs just ended a two game weekend and walked out with two consecutive losses.  Is reality returning?

3rd:  San Jose Sharks: The Sharks are just 1 point behind the Colorado Avalanche with 21 points, a 10-4-1 start.  Unlike the Avs, they came out of the weekend 2-0 and have a 5 game winning streak.  Patrick Marleau, Joe Thorton, and Dany Heatley are all heating up, which is bad news for the Avs.  I suspect it won't be long until the Sharks grab first in the WC.   In fact, we bet they will be by the next Power Grid.