With the trade deadline now out of the way the focus shifts to the playoff races.
From now through the end of the regular season, I'll be updating this chart of teams vying for the final five spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs every morning.
At first glance, it looks as though the Canadiens and Panthers have the most favourable schedule among the pack, but that's only on paper.
Games "against playoff teams" refers to teams that are in a playoff position as of this morning, so that category can change from day to day even if the team didn't play a game the night before. Also note that the first tiebreaker at the end of the season is wins, but until then the first tiebreaker is games played.
Eastern Conference Playoff Race
Philadelphia Flyers - 4th place, 78 points, 34 wins
19 games remaining - 9 on road, 10 at home, 12 against playoff teams
Last night - UPDATE Lost 5-1 to Flames; next game - Sat. vs. Nashville
Montreal Canadiens - 5th place, 75 points, 34 wins
18 games remaining - 7 on road, 11 at home, 7 against playoff teams
Last night - Did not play; next game - Tonight @ Atlanta
Florida Panthers - 6th place, 74 points, 33 wins
17 games remaining - 7 on road, 10 at home, 7 against playoff teams
Last night - Lost 4-1 to Penguins; next game - Sat. vs. St. Louis
New York Rangers - 7th place, 74 points, 33 wins
17 games remaining - 9 on road, 8 at home, 11 against playoff teams
Last night - Won 4-2 over Islanders; next game - Sun. vs. Boston
Pittsburgh Penguins - 8th place, 74 points, 34 wins
16 games remaining - 6 on road, 10 at home, 10 against playoff teams
Last night - Won 4-1 over Panthers; next game - Sun. @ Washington
Buffalo Sabres - 9th place, 71 points, 32 wins
18 games remaining, 9 on road, 9 at home, 10 against playoff teams
Last night - Did not play; next game - Tonight vs. Phoenix
Carolina Hurricanes - 10th place, 71 points, 33 wins
17 games remaining - 7 on road, 10 at home, 11 against playoff teams
Last night - Did not play; next game - Tonight vs. Calgary
Friday, March 6, 2009
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5 comments:
didn't philly play the flames last night? in fact i think Jokinen had 2 and leopold had 1. but they wouldn't have help at all...
30 minute skate? so even if practice they can't skate for a full 60...
ok thoose are my quips for the day.
March is very favorable to our schedule. It's entirely possible we're one of those teams that can't win on the road at all. I don't know about this team at all but having 9 of 11 at home after this mini road trip could be what gets up in. Meaning soon we'll have only 5 games left on the road and 11 at home. You think the schedule makers were being nice to us?
Good catch on the Philly game, I just fixed it. I should have known you would be paying particular attention to how Jokinen did last night.
As far as the schedule, it just works out that the Habs have a cream puff in March, but really they seem to benefit from a pretty good schedule at the end almost every year. What's more puzzling to me is not that the Habs are so awful on the road, but rather that they're so good at home. I just don't get that, because even at the Bell Centre Carbonneau often gets caught with mismatches, so having the last change isn't that huge of an advantage. Maybe their fans allow them to maintain energy from one period to another? Not sure, but having 11 of the final 16 at home should definitely help, even if they lose all five on the road.
so maybe at home carbo only gets kinda out coached - but on the road he gets totally out coached...
I sat behind the bench tonight (NASCAR weekend), there is zero leadership from anyone. I'm a convert. It is the coach.
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