last 10 at home), the Maple Leafs are furiously giving it all away, losing their composure in their own end and their touch in the attacking zone. The Red Wings are battered and barely recognizable, and the Panthers are apparently waiting for local government to kick in a few bucks toward a serious roster upgrade.

No telling if the Metro can hold this lead, but it's clear that the two Eastern wild card spots that were ceded to the Atlantic earlier this season are now fully in play.

Five times in NHL history has a team won 17 games in an 18-game stretch. Five. The last two teams to do it, including these 2013-14 Ducks, were coached by Bruce Boudreau (the 2009-10 Caps were the other). Tampa's Jon Cooper mayLAS VEGAS -- New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman downplayed Monday any chatter involving his team and Bryce Harper, the hard-swinging right fielder who has been the headliner of this year's free-agency period.

The way Cashman sees it, a crammed-full outfield and other, more pressing offseason personnel concerns leave the Yankees no place to put the widely coveted slugger.

"No time at all all winter have I said I'm looking for an outfielder," Cashman said. "The Harper stuff ... I'm surprised you're still asking."

When he was first asked about Harper during a session with Yankees beat reporters on the first full day of this year's winter meetings, Cashman rattled off the names of his six current outfielders (Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clint