NHL

[Ivytalk]

Someone wake the Flyers up - or remind them that hockey games are longer than 40 minutes. Blowing a 3-0 home 3rd period lead to Atlanta, ugh.

They've been blowing many leads lately.

[bandl]

9 straight wins.

[Grizalltheway]

9 straight wins.

And...snapped. Hey, at least they probably won't have to play Montreal in the first round this year.

[89Hen]

Strange game last night in Philly. East is almost locked in with Carolina and Toronto as the only teams with a realistic shot of catching Buffalo for the last spot. Jersey's second half push has been put to bed. Flyers/Pens tomorrow night could either tighten up that race or end it for the Pens and relegate them to the 4 seed. If I had to predict, I think the current 8 are the 8, but I think Buffalo might catch NYR for 7th.

West of course is a crapshoot. Looks like you can stick a fork in the Wild (as others already predicted). That leaves it up to the Hawks, Ducks, Stars and Flames to fight for the last two spots, but Calgary is fading fast. Again, if I had to predict, I like the current 8 to make it.

1 Philadelphia 97
2 Washington 96
3 Boston 90
4 Pittsburgh 92
5 Tampa Bay 89
6 Montreal 87
7 NY Rangers 84
8 Buffalo 81
Carolina 78
Toronto 76

1 Vancouver 103
2 Detroit 95
3 San Jose 92
4 Phoenix 91
5 Los Angeles 88
6 Nashville 88
7 Chicago 86
8 Anaheim 85
Dallas 85
Calgary 85

[Grizalltheway]

Calgary seems to be a very streaky team, but it doesn't look like they're all that hot going into their last 7 games.

[Grizalltheway]

Canucks have clinched the President's Trophy. Will be interesting to see if they pull a Washington...

[grizband]

Strange game last night in Philly. East is almost locked in with Carolina and Toronto as the only teams with a realistic shot of catching Buffalo for the last spot. Jersey's second half push has been put to bed. Flyers/Pens tomorrow night could either tighten up that race or end it for the Pens and relegate them to the 4 seed. If I had to predict, I think the current 8 are the 8, but I think Buffalo might catch NYR for 7th.

West of course is a crapshoot. Looks like you can stick a fork in the Wild (as others already predicted). That leaves it up to the Hawks, Ducks, Stars and Flames to fight for the last two spots, but Calgary is fading fast. Again, if I had to predict, I like the current 8 to make it.

1 Philadelphia 97
2 Washington 96
3 Boston 90
4 Pittsburgh 92
5 Tampa Bay 89
6 Montreal 87
7 NY Rangers 84
8 Buffalo 81
Carolina 78
Toronto 76

1 Vancouver 103
2 Detroit 95
3 San Jose 92
4 Phoenix 91
5 Los Angeles 88
6 Nashville 88
7 Chicago 86
8 Anaheim 85
Dallas 85
Calgary 85

Both Carolina and Buffalo getting points tonight really tightened the bottom of the East standings. The Ranges 8 point lead over 9th place has eroded to 2 points, making all of their remaining games important.

1 Philadelphia 103
2 Washington 103
3 Boston 99
4 Pittsburgh 100
5 Tampa Bay 99
6 Montreal 91
7 Buffalo 90
8 NY Rangers 89
Carolina 87
Toronto 84

The fight for the last Western Conference spot should be interesting. Chicago finishes with Montreal, St. Louis and Detroit (x2), giving them a 4 game to 2 advantage to stave off the charge from Calgary.

1 Vancouver 113
2 Detroit 102
3 San Jose 101
4 Los Angeles 96
5 Phoenix 96
6 Nashville 95
7 Anaheim 93
8 Chicago 92
Calgary 91
Dallas 89

[89Hen]

Both Carolina and Buffalo getting points tonight really tightened the bottom of the East standings. The Ranges 8 point lead over 9th place has eroded to 2 points, making all of their remaining games important.

Yeah, but the Rangers getting two at Philly is going to make it hard for Carolina to catch them. Rangers are home for their last three: Bruins, Thrashers, Devils while the Canes have Detroit, @ Atlanta and Tampa.

Toronto getting hot to end the season is almost salt in the wound for their fans. When are they going to be good again?

[grizband]

Both Carolina and Buffalo getting points tonight really tightened the bottom of the East standings. The Ranges 8 point lead over 9th place has eroded to 2 points, making all of their remaining games important.

Yeah, but the Rangers getting two at Philly is going to make it hard for Carolina to catch them. Rangers are home for their last three: Bruins, Thrashers, Devils while the Canes have Detroit, @ Atlanta and Tampa.

Toronto getting hot to end the season is almost salt in the wound for their fans. When are they going to be good again?

Rangers should win at least one of those three, and could conceivably win them all. As for Toronto, don't the laws of hockey say they have to be good again. I mean the Yankees were terrible for awhile, they exploded onto the scene in the mid to late 90s. I just still can't believe Montreal was the last Canadian team to win the cup back in 1993...

[89Hen]

Rangers should win at least one of those three, and could conceivably win them all. As for Toronto, don't the laws of hockey say they have to be good again. I mean the Yankees were terrible for awhile, they exploded onto the scene in the mid to late 90s. I just still can't believe Montreal was the last Canadian team to win the cup back in 1993...

While the Leafs have made the playoffs a bunch since, they haven't even been to the Cup since 1967. I don't think the Yankees ever went that long between championships. Leafs last trip to the playoffs... 2003-04.

[bandl]

Things are tightening up a bit...battle for first in the East (Caps in control at this point), battle for 6th/7th/8th spot in East between 4 teams...West is not as cut and dry with 7 teams battling for the 4-8 spots and Chicago doing their best to give away their playoff spot...

EASTERN GP W L PTS
1 y - Washington 80 47 22 105
2 x - Philadelphia 80 46 23 103
3 y - Boston 79 44 24 99
4 x - Pittsburgh 80 47 25 102
5 x - Tampa Bay 80 44 25 99
6 x - Montreal 80 43 30 93
7 Buffalo 80 41 29 92
8 NY Rangers 80 43 32 91
Carolina 79 38 30 87

WESTERN GP W L PTS
1 * - Vancouver 80 52 19 113
2 y - San Jose 79 47 23 103
3 y - Detroit 79 46 23 102
4 Nashville 80 43 26 97
5 Phoenix 79 42 25 96
6 Los Angeles 79 45 28 96
7 Anaheim 79 44 30 93
8 Chicago 79 42 28 93
Dallas 79 40 28 91
Calgary 80 40 29 91

[89Hen]

7 Buffalo 80 41 29 92
8 NY Rangers 80 43 32 91
Carolina 79 38 30 87

7 Anaheim 79 44 30 93
8 Chicago 79 42 28 93
Dallas 79 40 28 91
Calgary 80 40 29 91

I stand by my claims of two weeks ago that the 8 currently in stay in. I believe the NBC game on Sunday is Chicago vs Detroit and that could be a win an in for the Hawks. Will be a good game to watch before the Masters comes on.

Effin Flyers are slumping at the wrong time. However, they've always struggled at Ottawa. They meet a Buffalo team that will be hungry for point on Friday and I'm afraid is a preview of a first round match-up. I think the Sabres have beaten the Flyers the last 2 or 3 times they've met in the playoffs. I HATE Lindy Ruff.

[Grizalltheway]

Man, outside of Vancouver, the Northwest has really blown chunks this year.

[bluehenbillk]

1964 Phillies meet the 2011 Flyers, not looking good, not looking good at all.....

[89Hen]

Caps just need one point at Florida on Saturday to lock up #1. Flyers need to beat the Sabres tomorrow night, if for nothing more than confidence going into the playoffs.

[bandl]

Chicago gave up the opening goal just 17 seconds into the game last night, but pulled out the OT win to earn 2 HUGE points. Barring an absolute meltdown and some miracle play for Dallas, they are in.

Caps wallop Florida last night to open up a 4-point advantage for the top spot in the East over Philly. They only need one more point to clinch....get to OT in their last game against Florida (again) or hope for Philly to drop a single point in their last two games.

Carolina is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the East.

Dallas is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the West.

On a side note....as much as I don't like the guy as a player (because he is so damn good and doesn't play for the team I support) it's a shame that Crosby probably won't play in the playoffs, at least in the first round from the last I heard. And even if he does come back he probably won't be anywhere near the form he was in before his concussions.

EDIT: I guess 89 was posting at the same time I was, otherwise i wouldn't have repeated the Caps/Philly scenario

[89Hen]

Caps are firing on all cylinders, but the Sports Junkies this morning still sounded very nervous about the playoffs. I guess I would be too if they were my primary team, but I really think they are the team to beat in the East for a number of reasons. The only thing I somewhat disagree with is not keeping Holtby at the #2 goalie going into the playoffs. I understand that Varly has playoff experience, but sometimes blind cockiness is better than losing experience.

[bandl]

Caps are firing on all cylinders, but the Sports Junkies this morning still sounded very nervous about the playoffs. I guess I would be too if they were my primary team, but I really think they are the team to beat in the East for a number of reasons. The only thing I somewhat disagree with is not keeping Holtby at the #2 goalie going into the playoffs. I understand that Varly has playoff experience, but sometimes blind cockiness is better than losing experience.

I've been nervous about them as well. Yeah, they are winning most of their close games now (I think they are #2 in the league in 1-goal wins?) that they weren't winning a few months ago, but it doesn't take much to turn the game around in 1 goal games, ESPECIALLY in a 7 game series when the other team has a few games to figure you out ...i.e., one of their defensive players being out injured in the first round (Wideman)...one of their best forward players accidentally being put in as a defensive player if/when he comes back for the playoffs (Green...I don't think it's a coincidence they've been playing so well on defense with him out for so long)...one of their goalies going on a cold streak...

Question you might know...even though they aren't taking Holtby to the playoffs, can they call him up from Hershey if Varly or Neuvirth goes down or out? As in, are playoff rosters set and done?

[Grizalltheway]

As much as it pains me to say it...the Bruins are my pick to come out of the east.

[89Hen]

Question you might know...even though they aren't taking Holtby to the playoffs, can they call him up from Hershey if Varly or Neuvirth goes down or out? As in, are playoff rosters set and done?

Teams actually can have up to 50 players on contract that can be called up at any time. The active roster is 23 (might expand to 26 for playoffs IIRC). Flyers ran into goalie problems last year if you recall. Boucher went down in Bruins series and Leighton was brought back from IR to finish the playoffs. Flyers actually just recalled Leighton from Adirondack yesterday. The NHL does have some weird waiver rules though. Leighton had to clear waivers even though he was playing for the Flyers farm team. Maybe he wasn't on the 50 man.

[bluehenbillk]

Caps are firing on all cylinders, but the Sports Junkies this morning still sounded very nervous about the playoffs. I guess I would be too if they were my primary team, but I really think they are the team to beat in the East for a number of reasons. The only thing I somewhat disagree with is not keeping Holtby at the #2 goalie going into the playoffs. I understand that Varly has playoff experience, but sometimes blind cockiness is better than losing experience.

I've been nervous about them as well. Yeah, they are winning most of their close games now (I think they are #2 in the league in 1-goal wins?) that they weren't winning a few months ago, but it doesn't take much to turn the game around in 1 goal games, ESPECIALLY in a 7 game series when the other team has a few games to figure you out ...i.e., one of their defensive players being out injured in the first round (Wideman)...one of their best forward players accidentally being put in as a defensive player if/when he comes back for the playoffs (Green...I don't think it's a coincidence they've been playing so well on defense with him out for so long)...one of their goalies going on a cold streak...

Question you might know...even though they aren't taking Holtby to the playoffs, can they call him up from Hershey if Varly or Neuvirth goes down or out? As in, are playoff rosters set and done?

The Caps have two reasons to be rightfully nervous;

1- They lost the 1-8 matchup last year to Montreal.

2- They have shaky goaltending.

[bandl]

I've been nervous about them as well. Yeah, they are winning most of their close games now (I think they are #2 in the league in 1-goal wins?) that they weren't winning a few months ago, but it doesn't take much to turn the game around in 1 goal games, ESPECIALLY in a 7 game series when the other team has a few games to figure you out ...i.e., one of their defensive players being out injured in the first round (Wideman)...one of their best forward players accidentally being put in as a defensive player if/when he comes back for the playoffs (Green...I don't think it's a coincidence they've been playing so well on defense with him out for so long)...one of their goalies going on a cold streak...

Question you might know...even though they aren't taking Holtby to the playoffs, can they call him up from Hershey if Varly or Neuvirth goes down or out? As in, are playoff rosters set and done?

The Caps have two reasons to be rightfully nervous;

1- They lost the 1-8 matchup last year to Montreal.

2- They have shaky goaltending.

1 - Obviously you haven't been paying attention to the revamp the Caps have gone through this year as a result

2 - Not sure which of the three goalies you have been watching, but all three of them have been stellar this year, especially in 2011. So much so that leaving any one of the three of the roster for the playoffs can be questioned. Varlamov 2.23 GAA, .924 save %; Neuvirth 2.49 GAA, .913 save %, Holtby (the goalie being left out of the playoffs for now) 1.79 GAA, .935 save %; 48-22-11 between the 3 of them.

[Grizalltheway]

Chicago gave up the opening goal just 17 seconds into the game last night, but pulled out the OT win to earn 2 HUGE points. Barring an absolute meltdown and some miracle play for Dallas, they are in.

Caps wallop Florida last night to open up a 4-point advantage for the top spot in the East over Philly. They only need one more point to clinch....get to OT in their last game against Florida (again) or hope for Philly to drop a single point in their last two games.

Carolina is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the East.

Dallas is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the West.

On a side note....as much as I don't like the guy as a player (because he is so damn good and doesn't play for the team I support) it's a shame that Crosby probably won't play in the playoffs, at least in the first round from the last I heard. And even if he does come back he probably won't be anywhere near the form he was in before his concussions.

EDIT: I guess 89 was posting at the same time I was, otherwise i wouldn't have repeated the Caps/Philly scenario

Hold on, beating Colorado twice and Minnesota once would be a miracle?

[bluehenbillk]

The Caps have two reasons to be rightfully nervous;

1- They lost the 1-8 matchup last year to Montreal.

2- They have shaky goaltending.

1 - Obviously you haven't been paying attention to the revamp the Caps have gone through this year as a result

2 - Not sure which of the three goalies you have been watching, but all three of them have been stellar this year, especially in 2011. So much so that leaving any one of the three of the roster for the playoffs can be questioned. Varlamov 2.23 GAA, .924 save %; Neuvirth 2.49 GAA, .913 save %, Holtby (the goalie being left out of the playoffs for now) 1.79 GAA, .935 save %; 48-22-11 between the 3 of them.

Trying to decipher if that's a serious or a sarcastic response.

[bandl]

Chicago gave up the opening goal just 17 seconds into the game last night, but pulled out the OT win to earn 2 HUGE points. Barring an absolute meltdown and some miracle play for Dallas, they are in.

Caps wallop Florida last night to open up a 4-point advantage for the top spot in the East over Philly. They only need one more point to clinch....get to OT in their last game against Florida (again) or hope for Philly to drop a single point in their last two games.

Carolina is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the East.

Dallas is the only outside team alive for a playoff spot in the West.

On a side note....as much as I don't like the guy as a player (because he is so damn good and doesn't play for the team I support) it's a shame that Crosby probably won't play in the playoffs, at least in the first round from the last I heard. And even if he does come back he probably won't be anywhere near the form he was in before his concussions.

EDIT: I guess 89 was posting at the same time I was, otherwise i wouldn't have repeated the Caps/Philly scenario

Hold on, beating Colorado twice and Minnesota once would be a miracle?

I was thinking more along the lines of getting all 6 points (unlikely top pull off that kind of streak considering they are 3-4-3 in their last 10?) AND Chicago tanking...but all Chicago has to do is get 3 points out of 4 in their last 2 games and they are in regardless of whatever else happens.

And Dallas hasn't beaten Colorado yet this season, so why would they start now?