Tonight, the red-hot New York Rangers attempt to extend their winning streak to six when they take on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden. In what has been a dramatic turnaround for the Blueshirts, they are truly playing as a team for the first time in nearly a decade. Of their 23 roster regulars, 22 have compiled a positive plus-minus rating thus far this season; for a team that’s given up more goals than it has scored in every season dating back to 1996-97, that’s a very positive sign indeed.

As for the Penguins, Crosby has been everything coach Eddie Olczyk could have asked for – and perhaps more. Veterans Mario Lemieux and Mark Recchi, however, have been disappointing; though they’ve combined for 42 points this season, their combined -34 rating proves that their offensive contributions are far outweighed by abysmal defensive coverage. While it is true that the Pens’ problems in goal and on defense are considerable, it’s worth noting that Zigmund Palffy (+3) and Crosby (-5) have managed to produce offensively while also paying proper heed to their defensive responsibilities.

The Devils and Islanders, meanwhile, have proven to be average at best through the season’s first quarter. Unless something dramatic changes – for the Devils, the return of Patrik Elias; for the Islanders, a more consistent effort – neither team can be expected to compete for the Stanley Cup.

Here, then, is this week’s edition of The New York Sun’s NHL Power Rankings (last week’s ranking in parentheses):