from Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider,

The commonly held notion that the Western Conference is light years beyond the Eastern Conference is an argument that has sprung a few leaks this season. Those holes in the boat are being plugged – the West has won 19 of the last 27 head-to-head match-ups versus the East – but it is clear that the parity between the conferences is much stronger than it has been at virtually any point over the last three seasons, a period in which the balance of power resided in the West.

“I don’t think it’s a quick turnaround and a quick period of time,” Darryl Sutter said. “I think it’s the National Hockey League and there are 30 teams, and now we’re into year three of the divisions and the conference changes and the not-balanced schedule in terms of home and road, and I think, as we always do, we adjust to rules and we adjust to conferences.”

Whereas the Western Conference claimed a .607 points percentage against the Eastern Conference last season by virtue of a 246-150-52 record, this season that points percentage is down to .576 as the West is 167-119-31 in interconference games to date.

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