Monday, March 22, 2010

Morning playoff check-up

The Thrashers completed a home-and-home sweep of the Flyers to vault themselves back into playoff contention, while the Rangers lost a huge one to the Bruins yesterday that might have spelled the end of their post-season dreams.


The Flyers loss moved the Senators into fifth on a tie-breaker, but those two remain tied in points with the Canadiens at 79 each. The Sabres, meanwhile, won their third straight to put a stranglehold on the division lead with a nine point cushion on both Ottawa and Montreal, who are Buffalo’s next two opponents. Wins in each of those games should lock it up for the Sabres.

Tonight Morning Playoff Check-up Marquee Match-up is the only game on the board, with the reeling Senators visiting the Canadiens.

Buffalo Sabres – Third place, 39-22-10, 88 points
Last night: 5-3 win over Carolina
Next game: v Montreal Wednesday
11 games remaining, 6 against teams in playoff spot
Home (5) – Mtl March 24, Ott March 26, TB March 27, Fla March 31, NYR April 6.
Road (6) – Bos March 29, Tor April 1, Mtl April 3, Bos April 8, Ott April 10, NJ April 11

Ottawa Senators – Fifth place, 37-30-5, 79 points
Last night: Did not play
Next game: @ Montreal Monday
10 games remaining, 5 against teams in playoff spot
Home (4) – Philadelphia March 23, Florida March 27, Carolina April 1, Buffalo April 10
Road (6) – Mtl March 22, Buf March 26, Was March 30, NYI April 3, Fla April 6, TB April 8

Philadelphia Flyers – Sixth place, 37-30-5, 79 points
Last night: 3-1 loss to Atlanta
Next game: @ Ottawa Tuesday
10 games remaining, 5 against teams in playoff spot
Home (5) – Min March 25, NJ March 28, Mtl Apr 2, Det April 4, NYR April 11
Road (5) – Ott March 23, Pgh March 27, NYI April 1, Tor April 6, NYR April 9

Montreal Canadiens – Seventh place, 36-29-7, 79 points
Last night – Did not play
Next game: v. Ottawa Monday
10 games remaining, 5 against teams in playoff spot
Home (6) – Ott March 22, Fla March 25, NJ March 27, Car March 31, Buf April 3, Tor April 10
Road (4) – Buf March 24, Pha April 2, NYI April 6, Car April 8

Boston Bruins – Eighth place, 32-27-12, 76 points
Last night: 2-1 win over New York Rangers
Next game: @ Atlanta Tuesday
11 games remaining, 5 against teams in playoff spot
Home (6) – TB March 25, Cgy March 27, Buf March 29, Fla April 1, Buf April 8, Car April 10 
Road (5) – Atl March 23, NJ March 30, Tor April 3, Was April 5, Was April 11

Atlanta Thrashers – Ninth place, 32-29-11, 75 points
Last night: 3-1 win over Philadelphia
Next game: v Boston Tuesday
10 games remaining, 6 against teams in playoff spot
Home (5) – Bos March 23, Tor March 25, Car March 29, NJ April 6, Pgh April 10
Road (5) – Car March 27, Tor March 30, Was April 1, Pgh April 3, Was April 9

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A couple of those teams BELOW are still not out of it as of now. Actually they are closer than Buffalo is to the Northeast teams below them.

New York Rangers – 10th place, 31-31-9, 71 points with 10 games remaining


Florida Panthers – 11th place, 29-31-11, 69 points with 11 games remaining

Arpon Basu said...

Agreed, but this is a Habs-centric look at the playoffs. I don't consider either of those teams to be a real threat to Montreal, only to Boston

Anonymous said...

Habs are not out of it yet. We've just seen several unbelievable collapses by several teams including Ottawa, Tampa Bay, even Flyers who fluked off a 3 late come from behind wins to go with their losses, etc. if Habs or Sens lose tonight atlanta is just 4 points back and will have a game in hand, boston will have 2 games in hand and 3 points back - better not be a game that goes to OT tomorrow. habs/sens/flyers right now are not only fighting for 5th place they are all still in danger of missing the playoffs outright. just a hot streak right now by even florida could throw them right back in the playoff picture like atlanta just cvompletely reversed their own slide of the previous 2 weeks. this is one helluva playoff race, one of the best i've seen in many years. even out west with phoenix from nowhere challenging for #1 seed.

BTW- Really like your site!

jkr said...

Just read on TSN that Jeff Carter is out 3-4 weeks with a foot injury. ALong with the Leighton in jury, this makes life more difficult for the Flyers. :)

jkr said...

Wow - what a disappointing effort put forth last night. With so much on the line they give up 2 points to a team that just looked like it was trying not to lose.

They have come up with 2 goals for against average goalies like Gustavsson & Elliot. How are they going to fare against top flight Vezina material like Miller & Brodeur?