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          Cross Checks Blog

          Wrapping up the Western Conference

          • Katie Strang, ESPN.comOct 27, 2014, 10:41 AM ET
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              Katie Strang covers the Detroit Tigers for ESPN.com. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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          Trending up

          • Los Angeles Kings: That’s the way to finish a six-game homestand, eh? The defending Stanley Cup champions closed out an extended stay at Staples Center with an unblemished 6-0-0 record after Sunday’s 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. A formidable feat for the Kings, especially with the lingering distraction of Slava Voynov’s indefinite suspension. No surprise that the 70s line continues to dominate. Jeff Carter (No. 77), Tanner Pearson (70) and Tyler Toffoli (73) remain one of the most effective lines in hockey right now, combining for 10 points Sunday.

          • Patrick Kane: The Blackhawks’ electrifying young superstar assisted on captain Jonathan Toews’ second-period marker on Sunday to pick up his 500th career point. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only eight active NHL players have reached that milestone faster. It’s a pretty remarkable feat considering Kane is just 25 years old and entering the prime of his career. His eight-year contract extension will kick in next summer. How many more points will he record in his NHL career? Mind-boggling to consider.

          • Edmonton Oilers: Granted, the Oilers pretty much had nowhere to go but up, but let’s give credit where it is due because the beleaguered squad has rattled off three straight wins. The Oilers have put up 12 goals over that span -- six of which came in their most recent victory against the downtrodden Carolina Hurricanes on Friday -- and have had the weekend off to rest and recover before beginning the week with a match against the Montreal Canadiens at home.

          Trending down

          • Colorado Avalanche offense:: Although the Avs pounded the Canucks on Friday, they have dropped five of their past six games and seen their offense struggle spectacularly. Getting goaltender Semyon Varlamov back should help the team get back on track, but he won’t help fill the net at the other end. Before a seven-goal outburst against Vancouver to start the weekend, Colorado managed just 12 goals in the first seven games. Most recently? The Avs suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, a team with its own host of offensive issues.

          • Dallas Stars defense: The Stars have given up six or more goals in two of their past four games, a frightening trend for this team despite its stunning offensive potential. It's hard to heap the blame on the Stars’ goaltending tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Anders Lindback. Dallas currently ranks 28th in the league in goals against, giving up an average of 3.50 goals per game. The only teams below it? Carolina and Edmonton. That’s pretty dubious territory.

          Injury report

          • The severity of the upper-body injury that forced Anze Kopitar from Sunday’s game against the Jackets is not immediately clear, but losing the 2014 Selke Trophy finalist for any chunk of time, especially with the Kings heading out on a six-game road trip this week, would be costly for the defending champs. Being without their strongest two-way forward would be tough, especially considering the team is already dealing with injuries to Marian Gaborik and Trevor Lewis.

          • Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford has missed four consecutive games with an upper-body injury but is reportedly improving, according to ESPNChicago.com’s Scott Powers. The 29-year-old netminder is expected to be re-evaluated early this week and could eye a return soon. Not so for gritty winger Daniel Carcillo. Coach Joel Quenneville told reporters this past weekend that Carcillo is expected to miss at least a few weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

          What to watch for

          • Tough trip: Reeling from a fight-filled loss to their Pacific Division foe from San Jose, the Anaheim Ducks embark on a daunting four-game road trip this week. After seeing their seven-game winning streak end at the hands of the Sharks, Anaheim must now go through some of the league’s toughest competition with stops in Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado.

          • Flames on rise: Not many people would expect the Calgary Flames to be among the top three teams in the Pacific Division, yet there they are just two points behind the Kings and three behind the Ducks. The Flames have two games against the high-flying Montreal Canadiens in the next week, which should serve as a good litmus test to determine whether this Calgary team is for real.