There aren’t many connecting points for the Ottawa Senators and Utah Hockey Club, two National Hockey League teams nearly 3,000 kilometres apart.

And yet, both are surging in the standings, keyed by dynamic young duos that seem unstoppable whenever they’re on the ice. So much so that both organizations are positioned for a genuine playoff push as the calendar year turns.

For Ottawa, it could be the long-awaited ending to a rebuild that started seven years ago. And for Utah, the ultimate nail-in-coffin moment of the long-beleaguered Coyotes franchise.

Last weekend, having noticed both teams eclipsing legacy franchises like the New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche in goal differential, I started looking at the success drivers for both teams.

It goes without saying that apportioning who is responsible for each team’s gain in the standings is........

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