By KAREN BLEIER-USA TODAY SportsThe NHL’s rankings have been updated to reflect the fact that the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders have now become the top two teams in the league.
The Capitals and Islanders have each climbed from last to first in the rankings since they were introduced in the 2014-15 season.
The Islanders are now tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the league’s fourth-best record.
The top-ranked Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins are also tied for second place.
The Washington Capitals have risen from last in the standings to third place in the NHL.
The rankings were updated on Tuesday.
The Capitals have been the NHL’s best team this season, winning 10 of their last 11 games.
They have earned their first-ever playoff berth and their first playoff appearance since 2009.
The Caps are tied with Dallas and Philadelphia for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Stars and Flyers are tied for fourth- and fifth-best records.
The Flyers have climbed from eighth to fourth in the division and the Capitals have climbed to third.
