"Chicago's Marian Hossa referred to the Blues as a "five-guy unit." Anaheim's Corey Perry said they're "playing together as one." Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk pointed out the team's "good structure."

The top names at this weekend's NHL All-Star Game each used different words when explaining why the Blues are perhaps the surprise team at the break with 65 points, the third-highest total in the league. But the players were all making the point that the Blues' success is a joint effort, which may explain why they have only representative — goaltender Brian Elliott — at the all-star game.

Former coach Davis Payne stressed the importance of the Blues playing as five-man unit, but that philosophy has been taken to a new level under Ken Hitchcock and the dividends have been astounding. The club still needs to find a way to score more goals, and that is worrisome to many, but having the league's lowest goals-against average (1.96) and allowing the fewest shots against per game (26.2) has helped produce a record of 23-6-7 since the coaching change Nov. 8.

"What a turnaround in a season," Hossa said. "They switched the coach and all of the sudden they're a much tougher team to play against. They're on top of the league. … they're just an unbelievable story. I don't know what the coach has done. But they play more like a team. They play a five-guy unit in both zones, coming back really hard and they're improving in every direction."

When Elliott arrived in Ottawa this weekend, he was hit with a barrage of compliments, not only for his individual performance but also the team's play.

"They're saying, 'You guys are on fire. What are you guys doing?' he said. "I just keep saying, 'Guys are playing well, backchecking and helping each other out. That's been our key, everybody playing for each other. That's the key to our system — basically if you want the 'D' to help the forwards out, the forwards have to help the 'D' out. It just works hand in hand and you spend less time in your 'D' zone."

The Blues were recently unbeaten in regulation in nine straight games (8-0-1), a streak that ended with a 3-1 loss to Detroit on Monday.The club had four shutouts and didn't permit a third-period goal until Buffalo netted one to halt that stretch."