NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE.(National Hockey League)(Brief Article)

WHO'S HOT

Hot team, hot coach, hot player. Daymond Langkow has benefited from new Flyers coach Bill Barber's up-tempo style of play. Playing between Rick Tocchet and Simon Gagne, Langkow was a big reason the Flyers were 3-0-3 under Barber. His faceoff winning percentage needed fudging, but in his last four games, heading into last Saturday, Langkow had two goals and eight assists and was plus-8.

WHO'S NOT

Roberto Luongo was so cold in Florida, he was sent to Louisville to warm up. In his first game in the AHL, he was shelled 6-0 and felt right at home--he had little support. Luongo went 1-2 in the AHL but heading into last Friday's action, he hasn't played in the NHL since December 9, when he allowed three goals on 21 shots vs. the Avs. His save percentage in the two games before the demotion was .857.

CHALKDUST

It was a meeting of opposites in Manhattan last week. Many wanted to see how the Rangers, with the NHL's most prolific power-play unit, would stack up against the Blues and their league-best penalty-killing unit. It also was a matchup of East vs, West, with much pride on the line. As usual, West proved best. The Rangers fired blanks in six power-play opportunities, and the Blues stormed away with a 6-3 win. New York ...