Katie Strang of ESPN looks at the Eastern Conference trends...

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New York Rangers: It’s not just that the Rangers have won five straight, it’s how they’ve done it and who they’ve done it against. The Blueshirts return home after posting an unblemished 3-0-0 record on their California road trip, besting the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks despite a grueling three-games-in-four-nights stretch. A well-deserved All-Star nod for Rick Nash, we might add, for what has been a sensational first half of the 2014-15 season.

Gerard Gallant: Let’s give credit where credit is due, here: Gallant has done a fantastic job with a young, relatively-inexperienced Florida Panthers squad. The Panthers recently rattled off their third consecutive win with a 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, and sit just one point behind the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division standings. Goaltending has been good, scoring has been balanced, and the development of the Cats’ young stars has been a major plus.

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Western Conference trends...

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Colorado Avalanche: The Avs have been arguably the most disappointing team in the first half of the 2014-15 season, though Patrick Roy and Company are making a push in the new year, with three straight wins heading into this week’s action. The Avs recently rallied back from a two-goal deficit to dispatch the Dallas Stars by a 4-3 score on Saturday, their fifth win in six games, which was highlighted by a 37-save performance by goaltender Semyon Varlamov and a slump-busting two-point effort from Matt Duchene.

The St. Louis offense: The Avs are not the only team on a roll. The St. Louis Blues have looked like an offensive juggernaut of late, scoring a glut of goals during their current four-game winning streak. The Blues have outscored opponents by a 25-8 margin during that span. Gives you a real sense of just how competitive the Central Division is right now, considering St. Louis is still back in third place with 55 points.

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