With a litany of capable goal scorers and a not-so-young rookie dominating in net, the Anaheim Ducks have staked an early claim as one of the league's top teams.
On the other end of the spectrum are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who own the NHL's worst record and must deal with injuries as they try to turn things around.
Anaheim returns home seeking a season-best fifth straight win Monday when it faces Columbus, which is on the third stop of a season-high six-game road trip.
The 23 points by the Ducks (11-2-1) are the second-most in the league behind Chicago following a 5-1-0 road swing, the best win percentage for a trip of five or more games in franchise history.
Anaheim's current four-game winning streak -- its second this month -- has included three shootouts. Corey Perry's shootout goal made the difference in a 3-2 win at Nashville on Saturday.
Coach Bruce Boudreau's club continues to get contributions from a variety of players, with Patrick Maroon tallying his first career goal in the second period to tie the game.
Maroon became the 13th Anaheim player to score this season. Bobby Ryan and Daniel Winnik are tied for the team lead with five goals, while seven others have four. Anaheim ranks near the top of the league with 3.3 goals per game.