Alright folks, after a week off due to copius amounts of sickness (don't worry, I still watched plenty of hockey, just didn't write about it), I'm back. Today's Games to Watch, however, is not, due entirely to the fact that it's a three-game lineup tonight, and two of them involve teams that are out of the playoff race. So consider the Bruins @ the Caps your Marquee game (virtually a must-win for the B's with all the pressure the Rangers are putting on them) and the Jackets @ the Blues (a re-match in the BATTLE OF BLUE~) & Wild @ Oilers your first-ever Ice Dancing co-winners. Okay, with that out of the way....
It's not yet time for our Eastern Conference playoff breakdown just yet, and that's just because the East is wayyyy too up-in-the-air to do such a thing. Literally the only guarentee for the East is that those aforementioned Capitals will finish 1st; the Devils, Penguins, & Sabres will finish in some order of 2-3-4, but in what order that will be, I have no idea. The Senators will probably finish 5th, and after that you've got 5 teams playing musical chairs for the last three playoff spots. So it's tough for me to write any kind of playoff breakdown until all the seeds are a little more clear, and that very well may not be until the regular season is over, anyway. Then of course it will be time to break down all eight of the playoff series and make predictions, so I guess what I'm trying to tell you is there may very well never be an Eastern Conference playoff breakdown.
Here's the Cliff Notes version, folks: the Caps look unstoppable, the bottom half looks uninspired (and that's the nice way to say it), and this may very well end up being the weakest Eastern Conference first-round since the lockout. Once the various dead weights and pretenders are out of the way- and other than maybe the Sens upsetting the 4 seed, this year has all the makings of a complete sweep of the top four seeds moving on to the next round- it does set up for what should be a very exciting second round & conference final. But I'm telling you folks, that first round could be very, very underwhelming. No matter who among that Habs/Flyers/Bruins/Rangers/Thrashers five-headed monster actually locks down the last three playoff spots, can you honestly see any of these teams being capable of a first-round upset in the top-heavy East? Nope, me neither. And that makes the prospect of writing the kind of playoff breakdown I did for the West (in which I could seriously see a Detroit, LA, or Nashville upsetting the top seeds) very underwhelming, much like the first round itself.
So with all that out of the way, we get to the actual point of this blog. We're in the middle of the last week of the NHL season, and almost all of the attention will be on the teams fighting for playoff position (deservingly so). Realistically, only the Rangers (who have a very good shot) & Thrashers (who have an outside, but still decent shot) in the East and the Flames (who probably has slightly less of a shot than Atlanta) in the West can still really be looked at as playoff hopefuls outside the current top 8s. They will still be in the conversation all week long, provided of course the playoffs remain a realistic possibility. The rest of the league's teams will be virtually forgotten this week, afterthoughts relegated to the back of their town's sports pages and that horrible last 15 minutes of NHL On the Fly where they stick the non-playoff teams this time of year. They will of course largely remain out of the conversation until after the NHL playoffs, save for any early shock-firings of their GMs or coaches.
So before we forget all of these teams exist for a while, I thought it might be a good idea to go through each of them, team-by-team, and discuss what went wrong with their respective seasons. With all the teams in the NHL who bounced-back from non-playoff years last year into solid playoff positions this year, we'll also rate each team's bounce-back potential (High, Moderate, or Low), looking at their respective chances of being next year's Coyotes, Kings, or Senators. Of course, any such pick is very early to make without knowing what they do in the draft or free-agency, but it's still fun to guess, right? Okay, we'll start today with the Eastern Conference, since they got shortchanged in the whole playoff breakdown thing.
Eastern Conference
New York Islanders
(33-35-10, 76 points, 11th in East, 5th in Atlantic, 22nd in Offense, 24th in Defense)
What Went Wrong?: Not a whole lot, actually. This is a very young team in the second year of a full-scale rebuild, and some of their young players took a big step forward this year. Last year's 1st overall pick John Tavares had a strong rookie campaign that was hurt by a long scoreless drought, which is kind of parallel for the team's season as a whole. If you take out a couple of long stretches where they just couldn't get it done, they would probably have been a playoff team, but that has to be expected out of such a young team. They improved somewhat on what was a league-worst offense last season, but the biggest concern for any young team is always their defensive play. 24th is not as big of a disaster as one might expect for such a young team, but that's with 40-year-old goalie Dwayne Roloson playing out-of-his-mind on a lot of nights, something this team can't expect year-after-year.
What should they do now?: The next step for the Isles and sophomore coach Scott Gordon is to come in next year and teach a more defensively sound system, similar to what Terry Murray did last year with the LA Kings. This will hurt their offensive production in the short-term and probably result in them missing the playoffs again next year, but once they've got their shots-against down they can rise up into the top 15 in goals against/per game, and that's the kind of structure you can build off of into winning more games and, ultimately, a playoff berth for years to come. They don't have the kind of offensive firepower to play a more wide-open system the likes of Washington & Pittsburgh play, and the sooner Gordon realizes that, the sooner the Isles can get back to the post-season. They made some strides this year, to be certain.
Playoff Hopes for Next Year: Low. You just don't go from 22nd in Offense & 24th in Defense to a playoff berth the following year without major changes. The Isles don't have the kind of money to spend in free-agency, and no one in the system screams "I'm gonna come in and turns this team around". Calvin de Haan, their "other" first-round pick last year, is probably a few years away, and they likely won't be picking high enough to grab a guy who can step right in and make a difference like Johnny T did. As for Tavares himself, many people will probably predict him to have a huge second year like the previous year's first-round pick, Steven Stamkos, has had this year, but I tend to see something more along the lines of a traditional "sophomore slump" for him next year. If I'm wrong and he takes a huge step forward next year, maybe they can sneak into the playoffs. But the best thing for this franchise would be to follow the LA model and take a year to preach defense, even if it means another year outside the bubble. Of course, you also have to keep in mind that making the playoffs is more difficult for the Isles than it is for the rest of these teams just because they play in what is almost always the East's strongest division.
Carolina Hurricanes
(33-36-10, 76 points, 12th in East, 3rd in Southeast, 15th in Offense, 25th in Defense)
What Went Wrong?: Injuries, injuries, and more injuries, in that order. Few teams in this league are going to make the playoffs in a year where their best player (Eric Staal) AND starting goaltender (Cam Ward) missed HUGE stretches of the season. The fact is, the Canes were top 5 in the league in the second-half, but just couldn't make up enough ground after their beyond-awful first-half of the season. This is still a really good team, and by being relatively bad this season it gave them the chance to trade away some of their veterans and bring up some relatively overdue prospects, almost all of who played well. Brandon Sutter, for instance, has quietly topped the 20-goal mark with 21 goals in just a 69-game rookie campaign.
What should they do now?: Stand pat. If they start next year healthy and with the same core intact, they will easily be a playoff team. Not much to say here.
Playoff Hopes for Next Year: High. Again, without all the injuries that doomed the start of their campaign, they would easily have compiled enough wins playing in the incredibly soft Southeast division to make the post-season. They are kind of destined to be the St. Louis Blues to Washington's Detroit Red Wings this decade: they will also benefit from playing in an incredibly soft division (yes, children, the Central used to be very, very bad), but unless Washington, like Detroit before them, has an injury-riddled campaign, they won't have much hope at a division crown. Still, they showed last year they don't need to win the division to have a good playoff run, and when a team's got Eric Staal & Cam Ward, I still give them at least an outside shot at having another one.
Florida Panthers
(31-35-12, 74 points, 13th in East, 4th in Southeast, 28th in Offense, 20th in Defense)
What Went Wrong?: Some pundits are trying to lay the blame for the Panthers' woes on injuries, pointing out that they lost two of their top offensive players in David Booth & Nathan Horton (who was FINALLY having a breakout year) for extended periods of time throughout the season. However, unlike the Carolina excuse, this time I don't buy it. Let's compare them to the Canes: the Hurricanes lost their starting goalie, by far the most devastating position you can lose, for long stretches of the season, and still managed to stay competitive even when they were long since thought to be out of it. The Panthers at times managed to stay around the hunt, and really only dropped out of it after the Olympic break, when they played some of their most uninspired hockey of the season (they're 3-5-2 in their last 10!), by the way WITH Horton & Booth (until recently) both in the lineup. This is just a team that doesn't play with any heart whatsoever, and that's why the Panthers' new owners recently wrote an unprecedented letter to their fanbase explaining why they had decided to tear it all down and start rebuilding yet again. This letter was necessary because we now officially hit the ten-year anniversary of the last time the Panthers were in the playoffs. Oh, and they haven't won a playoff series since 1996.
What should they do now?: Exactly what they apparently plan on doing: tear it all down and start over. Be really bad for a few years, pick high, and make sure your picks pan out this time. Other than a great starting goalie in Tomas Voukon (who is obviously wasting some of the best years of his career playing in South Florida), there is almost nothing here to build around right now. The Panthers have a goalie prospect in the system who they are very high on, so it's time to trade Voukon this summer at the draft and see what you can get for him. Anyone else other than maybe your youngest of kids should be traded too, and that includes Horton, who one good season that included a decent-length injury doesn't make up for the years of disappointment. See what you can get for him and the others, tear it all down, and try to go the Pens/Caps/Hawks route. Hey, it worked for them, right?
Playoff Hopes for Next Year: Low. Even if they don't do a full-scale rebuild, there's nothing here to suggest next season will go any differently. How much better can Voukon play? The fact that he's near the top of the league in Save % and the team is still just 20th defensively tells you all you need to know about this defense corps, which needs to be blown-up and started over. The 28th-ranked offense obviously isn't getting it done, either. There's nothing in the system that's going to turn this disaster around: their best prospect is a goalie, and goaltending is probably the only thing you can point to on this team and say you DON'T have a problem with.
Tampa Bay Lightning
(31-35-12, 74 points, 14th in East, 5th in Southeast, 26th in Offense, 26th in Defense)
What Went Wrong?: I'd love to tell you, because I honestly have no idea how this team was this bad. They've got Steven Stamkos currently sitting tied with Alex Ovechkin for second in the league with 46 goals, yet somehow they're 26th in Offense. They've got Nittamayki who at times played great for them in goal, and yet somehow they're 26th in Defense. The fact that they've got matching stats in both categories is kind of amazing, actually, and probably tells the story. This is just a bad hockey team, plain and simple. At this point, with so many guys having great years (Martin St. Louis is 5th in the league in points with 90) and others having certainly at least average years, you have to put a great deal of blame at the feet of the head coach.
What should they do now?: Fair or not, I do believe the new ownership will step in and fire both the GM Brian Lawton and head coach Rick Tocchet, and it's probably worth a try at this point. At that point, ownership must resist the urge to deal Vinny Lecalvailer and give him another year to try and bounce back, possibly without a head coach who he reportedly feuded with this season. A one-two punch at center of Stamkos & a more on-his-game Lecavailer is, quite frankly, terrifying. A small upgrade to their defense is probably also a good idea, but nothing that will break the bank like the unadvised signing of an over-the-hill Matius Ohland did.
Playoff Hopes for Next Year: Moderate. If their defense gets better (which it should as last year's second-overall pick Victor Hedman will probably have a stronger year next year as he gets used to the North American style) and their goaltending & overall team game is a little more consistent, this is a team that will probably make the playoffs. Of course, those are big ifs. But I definitely like their chances.
Toronto Maple Leafs
(29-36-14, 15th in East, 5th in Northeast, 21st in Offense, 29th in Defense)
What Went Wrong?: Clearly GM Brian Burke made the all-too-common mistake of overrating his own team, as he traded his first- & second-round picks this year and first-round pick next year for Phil Kessel, then promptly watched his team get off to an awful 0-7-1 start that made finishing near the bottom and thus giving up a lottery pick to Boston virtually inevitable. Despite that, there is hope for the sizeable fanbase that comprises Leaf Nation. Dion Phaneuf was picked up from Calgary and gives the Toronto team a bonafide blue-chipper on the blue-line. His time in Toronto so far has been a mixed bag (6 assists in 14 games which is certainly not bad for a defenseman, but his big crowing point was supposed to be his huge shot and he has yet to score a goal as a Leaf), but everyone will judge him on what he does at the start of next year, anyway. Some cautious optimism is actually floating its way into the fanbase by way of how well some of the young kids are playing since they came into the lineup late in the year; Tyler Bozak in particular has been a revelation, playing very, very well with Kessel and giving the Leafs a real top-line threat for the first time since Mats Sundin left. Still, the Leafs always seem to play well after they're out of it. The youth is why some fans and pundits are arguing it's different this time, but ultimately that remains to be seen.
What should they do now?: Probably exactly what they will do: after Tomas Kaberle's no-trade clause runs out this summer, trade him to another team for a draft pick or a top-6 forward. If they can get a legitimate top-6 forward to add to their young mix of Kessel, Bozak, Stalberg, and probably last year's first-round pick Nazem Kadri, this will be a much-improved Toronto team. Having Mike Komisarek, who missed most of this year with his recurring shoulder injury, back next season will probably help their lowly defense, which is probably better than the statline says anyway. Goaltending was their real problem, but getting JS Giguere from Anaheim and moving out Vesa Toskala in the process seems to have finally fixed that problem.
Playoff Hopes for Next Year: Moderate. It pains me to believe in what a Leafs team is doing in March & April, but I'm really going to give them a shot to carry this over into next season without automatically writing them off, because of all the youth. I really like how Tyler Bozak has meshed with Phil Kessel, and I like the chances of Dion Phaneuf having a real good first full year in Toronto. If the forward group is just a little bit better and the defense really comes together with a full season of Dion to go with a healthy Komisarek, this is a team that could easily sneak into the playoffs in the seemingly always-weak Eastern conference.
Alright folks, we're done with the East. I'll be back with the West at some point, but tomorrow we've got a huge schedule of big games so it'll probably have to wait until after another edition of Today's Games to Watch. As always, enjoy the hockey, and remember the playoffs are almost here!
Showing posts with label islanders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label islanders. Show all posts
Monday, April 5, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/27
Alright folks, the Eastern Conference playoff preview is on hold for now, for a couple of reasons. First of all, with the recent struggles of the Boston Bruins & especially the Philadelphia Flyers, the bottom of the East is nowhere near as locked-up as the bottom of the West, so I'm going to give it a few more days just to see if things get sorted out and we have a more clear view of who is finishing in 7th & 8th in the East. The Thrashers and Rangers, teams who we thought might have been out of it, are back in the race moreso due to the aforementioned teams' struggles than anything they've done (though the Rangers tying the game vs. the Devils with just 16 seconds left and then pulling out the extra point, in Jersey on the second night of a back-to-back no less, was admittedly impressive).
The second reason we're putting it on hold is today's schedule is among the most interesting we've seen in a while, so it's as good of a time as any to bring back Today's Games to Watch. As always, here's the awards we'll be handing out:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Saturday, March 27th
Overall: Definitely one of the most intriguing schedules we've seen in a while, full of teams fighting for their playoff lives as well as teams who are already near-locks for the playoffs going head-to-head.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (45-25-4, 94 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at San Jose Sharks (45-19-10, 100 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
Following their six-game winless streak that was the Sharks' longest since November of 2005, San Jose appears to finally have turned things around after winning in Minnesota then coming home and winning that always-tough first game back from a long road trip against the Stars. It's of course worth noting that neither of those teams are playoff teams, but it's also worth noting that sometimes the hardest games to win are the games you're "supposed" to win this time of year. Just ask the Canucks, who dropped a game at home to the Islanders of all teams, how hard it can be to beat a team that's playing loosey-goosey hockey. However, now the Sharks will be faced with a much different test, as they welcome in the Northwest-leading Canucks. The Sharks are used to having everything wrapped up with a pretty bow at this time of year, but they currently sit just 1 point ahead of the Blackhawks (who have a game in hand) for 1st in the conference and 2 points ahead of the Coyotes for the division lead. If they want to hold on to the top seed going into the playoffs, they need all the points they can get. Vancouver, meanwhile, is looking at this as a statement game. Ever since the Sharks and Hawks have displayed their recent struggles, more and more pundits are shifting their Stanley Cup-favorite status in the West to the Canucks. If they can come into San Jose and beat the Sharks, it will be a huge reaffirmation of those words. No matter what happens, two division leaders meeting this close to the playoffs is always a huge deal, and this should be a fantastic game.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Flyers (37-31-6, 80 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 7th in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (42-25-7, 91 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST
The Flyers are, to put it simply, in a tailspin of epic proportions. Brian Boucher has looked even worse than people probably expected since Michael Leighton went down with an injury, going 1-4-1 and giving up soft goals in every game he's started. Blowing a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd period against the non-playoff Wild on Thursday was the most blatant example of this, as he gave up 2 goals from just not having his pads down in the right position coming across from one post to the other. That's basic, goalie school level stuff folks. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jeff Carter, the team's leading scorer in almost every category, is gone until the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. Whether or not he'll even get a chance to come back this year is becoming more and more in question, as the Flyers absolutely need to get things turned around right now if they want to make the post-season. The Thrashers & Rangers, two teams playing pretty well right now, are nipping right at their heels (4 and 5 points back respectively), and the Flyers must be looking over their shoulder at the Rangers with the most nervousness. The Rangers have a road-heavy schedule, but they're also playing 6 of the next 7 games against non-playoff teams. Then, the two teams will meet in a home-and-home set to end their respective seasons, and given the way the Rangers have played the Flyers at times this year, the Flyers do NOT want it to come down to those two games to decide which of these two teams makes the playoffs. So with all that said, they have decided to throw rookie goaltender Johan Backlund to the proverbial wolves today, as he will make his first-ever NHL start in Pittsburgh of all places, a place where the Flyers have struggled to win since the lockout even without a rookie goalie in net. Even worse, they're playing a Penguins team that is just as desperate for points as they are, trying to chase down to the Devils for the Atlantic division lead. Flyers-Penguins games are always chippy, hard-hitting affairs, but this game has twice the intrigue as usual just because we'll get to see if Backlund can be entrusted to carry the ball. Given how bad Boucher has been, the Flyers better pray he can.
Prediction: Penguins 5-2
Under the Radar: Detroit Red Wings (38-23-13, 89 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Nashville Predators (43-27-5, 91 points, 2nd in Central, 5th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
The Red Wings are the hottest team in hockey right now, having won four in a row and only dropped 2 games (1 in regulation) since the Olympic break. They've put 6 points of separation between themselves and 9th place Calgary, and now they can concentrate on trying to move up the standings in the top 8 before the end of the season. It's hard to believe considering how hot the Predators have been, too, but they now sit just 2 points ahead of their division rivals in Detroit, and that's with a game in hand for the Winged Wheel. So this game is incredibly important for both teams, as Nashville will want to put up a 4 point cushion to try and give themselves some breathing room. Either way, Detroit will still have a game in hand, so this game could very well end up being the deciding factor for which of these two teams finishes ahead of the other.
Prediction: Red Wings 4-3 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (30-34-10, 70 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Columbus Blue Jackets (30-32-12, 72 points, 5th in Central, 14th in West)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I always get a ton of crap from my Isles-loving friend when I pick the Isles for my Ice Dancing game, but tonight it's not even close. This is one of only two games of the night between non-playoff teams, amazing given how many of those games we've had all week. It's the 14th-place teams of each conference which of course means no rivalry to speak of, and the only thing on the line here is the loser putting themselves in better draft position. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, who really cares? With all that said, admittedly both teams have played well against better competition of late, really taking to that spoiler role. The Isles beat the Flames, who desperately need those 2 points to keep pace with Detroit; in fact, you could probably argue that loss has ended Calgary's season. Columbus, meanwhile, welcomed in a Chicago team that needed 2 points to keep pace with San Jose atop the Western conference, and absolutely pounded them 8-3. Of course, the problem is neither team can spoil the other, so this is gonna be a tough game to get up for.
Prediction: Isles 2-1
The Rest
Flames @ Bruins, 1:00 pm EST: Well, like I just said, the Flames have probably already squandered their only chance to catch the Red Wings for 8th in the West. The question now is, do they come out flying in Boston trying desperately to salvage their season, as we saw the Rangers do this week after their potentially season-ending loss to Boston? Or do they come out flat knowing their season is probably over? Boston of course needs the points to stay ahead of those Rangers & Thrashers. This could be a good game between two desperate teams, or it could be one desperate team absolutely pounding the crap out of a team that's already given up. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Lightning @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Sabres are on the second-half of a back-to-back coming off a disappointing loss to division rivals Ottawa at home last night. A win here will probably put a kibosh on any hopes the Senators have of challenging Buffalo for the division title, given the games in hand the Sabres still have. Meanwhile, the only chase the Lightning are really in is Stamkos chasing the Rocket. They could be up for it to try and play spoiler, but for some reason the Lightning always seem to play really poorly against Buffalo. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The only other game between non-playoff teams, Atlanta is at least still right there in the race, 2 points back of 8th place Boston and 4 points back of 7th place Philadelphia. Their hosts in Carolina have been one of the best teams in the second-half of the season, and if it wasn't for their awful, awful first-half they'd be comfortably in the playoffs right now. Atlanta needs these 2 points desperately with the Rangers now nipping at their heels just 1 point behind, but everytime you think Carolina is ready to roll over and give up on their slim playoff hopes, they keep winning games. This should be a good one. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Canadiens, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC & RDS in Canada, NHL Network US) Martin Brodeur always plays very well in his home province against his childhood favorite team, and tonight should be no exception with the added incentive of staying ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic race. The Habs, meanwhile, are probably the East's hottest team since the Olympic break, reeling off a 6-game winning streak that was interrupted only with a loss to Ottawa and an OT loss to the Sabres, then responding by bouncing right back with a clutch home win against the Panthers on Thursday night. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Senators, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Speaking of the Panthers, they will once again be without David Booth after he took yet another hit to the had against the Habs on Thursday. Unlike the blindside hit Mike Richards gave him earlier in the season, however, this one was totally Booth's fault, as he skated into the Montreal zone with his head down (something you're taught not to do as a 6-year-old) and paid the price for it. The Sens finally seem to have come out of their post-Olympic funk, and the only thing that could stop them from pounding on the Booth-less Panthers is this being the second night of a back-to-back. Either way, this game probably won't be very exciting. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Rangers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Alright, New York, here's what everyone has been waiting for. Every since the Rangers lost that disappointing game to Boston on Sunday, everyone pointed to their six-game road trip where 5 of the 6 teams are far out of the playoffs as their chance to make up ground. The Rangers already made up some ground by pounding the hapless Isles into submission with a 5-0 home win then following that up with their gutsy victory in Newark the very next night. Now that they've finally put themselves back into the race, they absolutely need to start these games against non-playoff teams on the right foot. If they lose to the Maple Leafs (who are in the middle of their yearly "well, we're out of it, so I guess we might as well finally play some hockey" March surge), it will get this make-hay run off on absolutely the wrong foot. A win, on the other hand, would be the Rangers' first 3-game win streak in almost three months and really get that snowball of momentum rolling downhill (and right towards the playoffs). The Maple Leafs aren't gonna roll over for them and have beaten better teams in Toronto of late, and as a result this should be a pretty good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Coyotes, 9:00 pm EST: Colorado's position in 7th is very tenuous, as they have been extremely inconsistent since the Olympic break. Now they have to go into Phoenix and beat one of the NHL's best home teams, with Detroit breathing right down on their neck (tied in points but the Avs have a game in hand). The 'Yotes are looking to bounce back from actually, gasp, LOSING a shootout to the Predators, and want to keep pace with the Sharks for an incredibly improbable Pacific division title. With all that said, both these teams aren't all that exciting on most nights, so this game might not be all that exciting, either. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Stars @ Kings, 10:30 pm EST: Speaking of teams that the Red Wings are breathing down on, the Kings are only 1 point up on the Winged Wheel and absolutely do not want to fall back into that 7-8 hole. This is another team that's been very up-and-down since the Olympic break, as they've shown flashes of brilliance but also shown some signs of mental and physical fatigue, especially from starting goaltender Jonathan Quick. Coming back after going 0-1-1 in a brief 2-game trip, the Kings could use a pick-me-up, and beating the non-playoff Stars would be just what the doctor ordered. Dallas, on the other hand, was playing pretty well of late before dropping a 3-0 decision in San Jose, so they'll be trying to bounce back as well. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another edition of Today's Games to Watch in the NHL. We've got two early games that are incredibly important for all four teams, so enjoy some afternoon action then get ready for the main event late tonight between the Sharks and the Canucks.
The second reason we're putting it on hold is today's schedule is among the most interesting we've seen in a while, so it's as good of a time as any to bring back Today's Games to Watch. As always, here's the awards we'll be handing out:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
Saturday, March 27th
Overall: Definitely one of the most intriguing schedules we've seen in a while, full of teams fighting for their playoff lives as well as teams who are already near-locks for the playoffs going head-to-head.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (45-25-4, 94 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at San Jose Sharks (45-19-10, 100 points, 1st in Pacific, 1st in West)
10:00 pm EST/7:00 pm PST
National TV: CBC (Canada)
Following their six-game winless streak that was the Sharks' longest since November of 2005, San Jose appears to finally have turned things around after winning in Minnesota then coming home and winning that always-tough first game back from a long road trip against the Stars. It's of course worth noting that neither of those teams are playoff teams, but it's also worth noting that sometimes the hardest games to win are the games you're "supposed" to win this time of year. Just ask the Canucks, who dropped a game at home to the Islanders of all teams, how hard it can be to beat a team that's playing loosey-goosey hockey. However, now the Sharks will be faced with a much different test, as they welcome in the Northwest-leading Canucks. The Sharks are used to having everything wrapped up with a pretty bow at this time of year, but they currently sit just 1 point ahead of the Blackhawks (who have a game in hand) for 1st in the conference and 2 points ahead of the Coyotes for the division lead. If they want to hold on to the top seed going into the playoffs, they need all the points they can get. Vancouver, meanwhile, is looking at this as a statement game. Ever since the Sharks and Hawks have displayed their recent struggles, more and more pundits are shifting their Stanley Cup-favorite status in the West to the Canucks. If they can come into San Jose and beat the Sharks, it will be a huge reaffirmation of those words. No matter what happens, two division leaders meeting this close to the playoffs is always a huge deal, and this should be a fantastic game.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Philadelphia Flyers (37-31-6, 80 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 7th in East) at Pittsburgh Penguins (42-25-7, 91 points, 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East)
1:00 pm EST/10:00 am PST
The Flyers are, to put it simply, in a tailspin of epic proportions. Brian Boucher has looked even worse than people probably expected since Michael Leighton went down with an injury, going 1-4-1 and giving up soft goals in every game he's started. Blowing a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd period against the non-playoff Wild on Thursday was the most blatant example of this, as he gave up 2 goals from just not having his pads down in the right position coming across from one post to the other. That's basic, goalie school level stuff folks. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jeff Carter, the team's leading scorer in almost every category, is gone until the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. Whether or not he'll even get a chance to come back this year is becoming more and more in question, as the Flyers absolutely need to get things turned around right now if they want to make the post-season. The Thrashers & Rangers, two teams playing pretty well right now, are nipping right at their heels (4 and 5 points back respectively), and the Flyers must be looking over their shoulder at the Rangers with the most nervousness. The Rangers have a road-heavy schedule, but they're also playing 6 of the next 7 games against non-playoff teams. Then, the two teams will meet in a home-and-home set to end their respective seasons, and given the way the Rangers have played the Flyers at times this year, the Flyers do NOT want it to come down to those two games to decide which of these two teams makes the playoffs. So with all that said, they have decided to throw rookie goaltender Johan Backlund to the proverbial wolves today, as he will make his first-ever NHL start in Pittsburgh of all places, a place where the Flyers have struggled to win since the lockout even without a rookie goalie in net. Even worse, they're playing a Penguins team that is just as desperate for points as they are, trying to chase down to the Devils for the Atlantic division lead. Flyers-Penguins games are always chippy, hard-hitting affairs, but this game has twice the intrigue as usual just because we'll get to see if Backlund can be entrusted to carry the ball. Given how bad Boucher has been, the Flyers better pray he can.
Prediction: Penguins 5-2
Under the Radar: Detroit Red Wings (38-23-13, 89 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West) at Nashville Predators (43-27-5, 91 points, 2nd in Central, 5th in West)
8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST
The Red Wings are the hottest team in hockey right now, having won four in a row and only dropped 2 games (1 in regulation) since the Olympic break. They've put 6 points of separation between themselves and 9th place Calgary, and now they can concentrate on trying to move up the standings in the top 8 before the end of the season. It's hard to believe considering how hot the Predators have been, too, but they now sit just 2 points ahead of their division rivals in Detroit, and that's with a game in hand for the Winged Wheel. So this game is incredibly important for both teams, as Nashville will want to put up a 4 point cushion to try and give themselves some breathing room. Either way, Detroit will still have a game in hand, so this game could very well end up being the deciding factor for which of these two teams finishes ahead of the other.
Prediction: Red Wings 4-3 (SO)
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (30-34-10, 70 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Columbus Blue Jackets (30-32-12, 72 points, 5th in Central, 14th in West)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
I always get a ton of crap from my Isles-loving friend when I pick the Isles for my Ice Dancing game, but tonight it's not even close. This is one of only two games of the night between non-playoff teams, amazing given how many of those games we've had all week. It's the 14th-place teams of each conference which of course means no rivalry to speak of, and the only thing on the line here is the loser putting themselves in better draft position. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, who really cares? With all that said, admittedly both teams have played well against better competition of late, really taking to that spoiler role. The Isles beat the Flames, who desperately need those 2 points to keep pace with Detroit; in fact, you could probably argue that loss has ended Calgary's season. Columbus, meanwhile, welcomed in a Chicago team that needed 2 points to keep pace with San Jose atop the Western conference, and absolutely pounded them 8-3. Of course, the problem is neither team can spoil the other, so this is gonna be a tough game to get up for.
Prediction: Isles 2-1
The Rest
Flames @ Bruins, 1:00 pm EST: Well, like I just said, the Flames have probably already squandered their only chance to catch the Red Wings for 8th in the West. The question now is, do they come out flying in Boston trying desperately to salvage their season, as we saw the Rangers do this week after their potentially season-ending loss to Boston? Or do they come out flat knowing their season is probably over? Boston of course needs the points to stay ahead of those Rangers & Thrashers. This could be a good game between two desperate teams, or it could be one desperate team absolutely pounding the crap out of a team that's already given up. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Lightning @ Sabres, 7:00 pm EST: The Sabres are on the second-half of a back-to-back coming off a disappointing loss to division rivals Ottawa at home last night. A win here will probably put a kibosh on any hopes the Senators have of challenging Buffalo for the division title, given the games in hand the Sabres still have. Meanwhile, the only chase the Lightning are really in is Stamkos chasing the Rocket. They could be up for it to try and play spoiler, but for some reason the Lightning always seem to play really poorly against Buffalo. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Thrashers @ Hurricanes, 7:00 pm EST: The only other game between non-playoff teams, Atlanta is at least still right there in the race, 2 points back of 8th place Boston and 4 points back of 7th place Philadelphia. Their hosts in Carolina have been one of the best teams in the second-half of the season, and if it wasn't for their awful, awful first-half they'd be comfortably in the playoffs right now. Atlanta needs these 2 points desperately with the Rangers now nipping at their heels just 1 point behind, but everytime you think Carolina is ready to roll over and give up on their slim playoff hopes, they keep winning games. This should be a good one. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Devils @ Canadiens, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC & RDS in Canada, NHL Network US) Martin Brodeur always plays very well in his home province against his childhood favorite team, and tonight should be no exception with the added incentive of staying ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic race. The Habs, meanwhile, are probably the East's hottest team since the Olympic break, reeling off a 6-game winning streak that was interrupted only with a loss to Ottawa and an OT loss to the Sabres, then responding by bouncing right back with a clutch home win against the Panthers on Thursday night. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Senators, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Speaking of the Panthers, they will once again be without David Booth after he took yet another hit to the had against the Habs on Thursday. Unlike the blindside hit Mike Richards gave him earlier in the season, however, this one was totally Booth's fault, as he skated into the Montreal zone with his head down (something you're taught not to do as a 6-year-old) and paid the price for it. The Sens finally seem to have come out of their post-Olympic funk, and the only thing that could stop them from pounding on the Booth-less Panthers is this being the second night of a back-to-back. Either way, this game probably won't be very exciting. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Rangers @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: (National TV: CBC) Alright, New York, here's what everyone has been waiting for. Every since the Rangers lost that disappointing game to Boston on Sunday, everyone pointed to their six-game road trip where 5 of the 6 teams are far out of the playoffs as their chance to make up ground. The Rangers already made up some ground by pounding the hapless Isles into submission with a 5-0 home win then following that up with their gutsy victory in Newark the very next night. Now that they've finally put themselves back into the race, they absolutely need to start these games against non-playoff teams on the right foot. If they lose to the Maple Leafs (who are in the middle of their yearly "well, we're out of it, so I guess we might as well finally play some hockey" March surge), it will get this make-hay run off on absolutely the wrong foot. A win, on the other hand, would be the Rangers' first 3-game win streak in almost three months and really get that snowball of momentum rolling downhill (and right towards the playoffs). The Maple Leafs aren't gonna roll over for them and have beaten better teams in Toronto of late, and as a result this should be a pretty good game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Avalanche @ Coyotes, 9:00 pm EST: Colorado's position in 7th is very tenuous, as they have been extremely inconsistent since the Olympic break. Now they have to go into Phoenix and beat one of the NHL's best home teams, with Detroit breathing right down on their neck (tied in points but the Avs have a game in hand). The 'Yotes are looking to bounce back from actually, gasp, LOSING a shootout to the Predators, and want to keep pace with the Sharks for an incredibly improbable Pacific division title. With all that said, both these teams aren't all that exciting on most nights, so this game might not be all that exciting, either. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Stars @ Kings, 10:30 pm EST: Speaking of teams that the Red Wings are breathing down on, the Kings are only 1 point up on the Winged Wheel and absolutely do not want to fall back into that 7-8 hole. This is another team that's been very up-and-down since the Olympic break, as they've shown flashes of brilliance but also shown some signs of mental and physical fatigue, especially from starting goaltender Jonathan Quick. Coming back after going 0-1-1 in a brief 2-game trip, the Kings could use a pick-me-up, and beating the non-playoff Stars would be just what the doctor ordered. Dallas, on the other hand, was playing pretty well of late before dropping a 3-0 decision in San Jose, so they'll be trying to bounce back as well. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Alright folks, that'll do it for another edition of Today's Games to Watch in the NHL. We've got two early games that are incredibly important for all four teams, so enjoy some afternoon action then get ready for the main event late tonight between the Sharks and the Canucks.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Today's Games to Watch 3/9
Now that the NFL season is over and the NHL is able to really load up their Sundays from here on out, you'll probably have to get used to Monday nights like last night, which featured just two games (and only one of them was even remotely competitive). The NHL returns to a far more active schedule tonight, however, with a 9-game lineup, giving me plenty of games to shift through and tell you just which games are worth your time. So let's get to it.
In case you missed the inaugural edition, to recap I'm going to look at the schedule of the day and pick out four games. Those four games will be:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
I've also decided to try my hand at predictions as well. Nostradamus I'm not, so you're forewarned not to take any of these to your local bookie or anything.
Tuesday March 9th
Overall: Though there are nine games on tap for tonight, it's not a particuarly strong nine games. It took some real digging to come through with my Marquee games, and to be honest they were kind of a toss-up.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (40-23-2, 82 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Colorado Avalanche (37-22-6, 80 points, 2nd in Northwest, 6th in West)
9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST
On a night that's not exactly strong with the marquee name value or rivalries, I'm leaning towards this battle for the Northwest division as my pick of the night. This is the game I'm most interested in watching, and I have no real strong feelings towards either team. But this is the only division in the Western Conference that is still really up for grabs, and just looking at both these teams and where they are in the standings should tell you just how important winning that division will be. Despite just two points difference, the Canucks sit in 3rd (with home ice) due to having the division lead, while the Avalanche sit in 6th, behind the Coyotes & Kings in the Western standings and just 7 points shy of 9th place Calgary (and more on them in a second). Furthermore, this could very easily be a first-round preview. Add it all up and you've got the recipe for a very important game tonight.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Calgary Flames (32-24-9, 73 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-22-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Tonight's race for the Marquee really only came down to these two games, but I had a little bit of a hard time deciding just which one to rank above the other. In the end, I went with the divisional showdown, but that's not to take anything away from this battle. Calgary is exactly one point behind Detroit for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, and neither team has games in hand on the other. This is one of those almighty four-point games, as Detroit has a chance to increase the gap with Calgary to 3, while Calgary has a chance to unseat Detroit and take that 8th playoff spot. Of course, no one would have predicted before the season began that the Flames & Red Wings would be battling it out for 8th in the Western Conference, which only makes this battle even more intriguing. After tonight's game, the two teams will meet one final time in Calgary next Monday, so you know the Flames would love to steal one on the road with a home date against the Wings still to come.
Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a Shootout
Under the Radar: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-26-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (32-29-6, 70 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: RDS (Canada, French only)
There were a few games I considered for this one, but I'm giving the nod to the Lightning at the Habs, for a couple of reasons. First of all, there's the obvious playoff race. The Lightning are fading fast, now 5 points back of the Habs and 4 points back of the 8th place Bruins. A win here in regulation would be a big deal for the Lightning, especially considering they will still have 3 games in hand on the Habs at the end of the night. Secondly, the Lightning's two French-Canadian superstars, Vinny Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both have a tendency to turn it way up whenever the Bolts play in Montreal. Add it all up and you have a game that will probably fly under the radar a bit (especially in the States) but could turn out to be a very good game.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (26-31-8, 60 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Philadelphia Flyers (34-26-4, 72 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US)
Ah yes, for the first time and I'm sure not the last, my worst game of the night also happens to be the only game picked up on national TV here in the good 'ol US of A! But Versus only has themselves to blame for this one: inexplicably this will be the second time the Flyers-Isles have aired on Versus this season, despite the fact that the Flyers are carrying an unbelievable FIFTEEN GAME winning streak over the Islanders into tonight's contest! The last time the Islanders were in Philly they looked lifeless, and that was at a time they were playing MUCH better hockey overall than they are right now. The Isles have faded from their surprising form earlier in the season, as many young teams tend to do, and are currently all but out of the playoff race. This should be yet another one-sided romp for the Flyers in this incredibly one-sided "rivalry", and you should almost definitely take a pass on watching it.
Prediction: Flyers 5-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Whoa, didn't these guys just play each other? Well, that game went to a shootout, so who knows, this one could provide some excitement too. But expecting the Leafs to get up for a game these days has proven to be a bit of a crapshoot: the same week they were taking the Bruins to a shootout in Beantown, they were also losing at home, 5-1, to the Carolina Hurricanes. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Predators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: Talk about two teams that desperately need points: the Thrashers are coming off their collapse against Vancouver and have seen their playoff cushion evaporate to just 2 points over 9th place Calgary, while the Thrashers decided the best way to celebrate being in the top 8 in the East was by losing two in a row, which now sees them in 10th and 3 points out again. Funny thing about desperation: it tends to bring out a hell of a hockey game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Wild, 8:00 pm EST: I literally have absolutely nothing to say about this game. I can tell you they're both hockey teams and they're both allegedly still in their playoff races. Yeah, that's about it. Okay, I know that's weak, but YOU try finding something to write about a game between the FLORIDA FRIGGIN' PANTHERS and the MINNESOTA FRIGGIN' WILD. Thought so. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Senators @ Oilers, 9:00 pm EST: Now are you starting to see why I said tonight's lineup was kind of weak? Boy, between that last game, this one, and one more still to come, there was more competition for the Ice Dancing "award" than anything else tonight. The Sens are very good, the Oilers are very bad, nothing to see here, move along please. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blue Jackets @ Ducks, 10:00 pm EST: Ever watch Robot Chicken? Okay, ever see that skit they did parodying those Fox specials with "World's Most One-Sided Fist Fights"? Several of the "fights" from that skit, including a man reaching down into a stroller and repeatedly punching a baby, were more competitive than last night's Kings-Jackets game. After 40 minutes, the Kings had more goals (six) than the Jackets had SHOTS ON GOAL (five). When have you EVER heard of that happening? I guess my point is, tonight's game can go one of two ways: either the Jackets will come out pissed off and take it out on the Ducks, or they'll come out and get slaughtered again by an Anaheim team that really, really needs the 2 points to keep their playoff hopes alive. If it's the former, it might be a fun game to watch. But if it's the latter, well, it'll be fun if you're a Ducks fan, suicidally depressing if you're a Jackets fan, and utterly uninteresting for everyone else. Hey, at least the Jackets won't be able to use the usual built-in "we just played a game last night, we're tired" excuse if they lose tonight. Using that excuse actually requires PLAYING IN THE GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE. Which, you know, they didn't. Okay, I'm done. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
And that's it for tonight, ladies and gents. I'll be back, perhaps with some early rumblings from the first two days of the GM meetings. Enjoy the hockey.
In case you missed the inaugural edition, to recap I'm going to look at the schedule of the day and pick out four games. Those four games will be:
Marquee Match-Up: The biggest game of the night, the game you absolutely need to see, featuring the biggest stars and/or the best rivalries.
The Runner-Up: Basically the same criteria that applies to the Marquee, just not quite as big of a deal as the night's biggest game.
Under the Radar: This is a game that, for whatever reason, just wouldn't normally jump out at you if you're taking a quick glance at the day's schedule, but upon taking a closer look, this should probably be a great game.
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: With the Winter Olympics fresh on everyone's mind, I'm naming this dubious "award" after the Olympics' most craptastic event that NBC tried to push off on us all in lieu of actual figure skating. Please do yourself a favor, don't watch this game.
Once those four picks are done with, I'll go through The Rest and tell you which of those games just might be worth your time as well. Even if you don't have Center Ice, I'll make sure to note which (if any) of these games are available on national TV in the US & Canada.
I've also decided to try my hand at predictions as well. Nostradamus I'm not, so you're forewarned not to take any of these to your local bookie or anything.
Tuesday March 9th
Overall: Though there are nine games on tap for tonight, it's not a particuarly strong nine games. It took some real digging to come through with my Marquee games, and to be honest they were kind of a toss-up.
Marquee Match-Up: Vancouver Canucks (40-23-2, 82 points, 1st in Northwest, 3rd in West) at Colorado Avalanche (37-22-6, 80 points, 2nd in Northwest, 6th in West)
9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST
On a night that's not exactly strong with the marquee name value or rivalries, I'm leaning towards this battle for the Northwest division as my pick of the night. This is the game I'm most interested in watching, and I have no real strong feelings towards either team. But this is the only division in the Western Conference that is still really up for grabs, and just looking at both these teams and where they are in the standings should tell you just how important winning that division will be. Despite just two points difference, the Canucks sit in 3rd (with home ice) due to having the division lead, while the Avalanche sit in 6th, behind the Coyotes & Kings in the Western standings and just 7 points shy of 9th place Calgary (and more on them in a second). Furthermore, this could very easily be a first-round preview. Add it all up and you've got the recipe for a very important game tonight.
Prediction: Canucks 5-3
Runner-Up: Calgary Flames (32-24-9, 73 points, 3rd in Northwest, 9th in West) at Detroit Red Wings (31-22-12, 74 points, 3rd in Central, 8th in West)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
Tonight's race for the Marquee really only came down to these two games, but I had a little bit of a hard time deciding just which one to rank above the other. In the end, I went with the divisional showdown, but that's not to take anything away from this battle. Calgary is exactly one point behind Detroit for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, and neither team has games in hand on the other. This is one of those almighty four-point games, as Detroit has a chance to increase the gap with Calgary to 3, while Calgary has a chance to unseat Detroit and take that 8th playoff spot. Of course, no one would have predicted before the season began that the Flames & Red Wings would be battling it out for 8th in the Western Conference, which only makes this battle even more intriguing. After tonight's game, the two teams will meet one final time in Calgary next Monday, so you know the Flames would love to steal one on the road with a home date against the Wings still to come.
Prediction: Flames 5-4 in a Shootout
Under the Radar: Tampa Bay Lightning (27-26-11, 65 points, 3rd in Southeast, 11th in East) at Montreal Canadiens (32-29-6, 70 points, 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East)
7:30 pm EST/4:30 pm PST
National TV: RDS (Canada, French only)
There were a few games I considered for this one, but I'm giving the nod to the Lightning at the Habs, for a couple of reasons. First of all, there's the obvious playoff race. The Lightning are fading fast, now 5 points back of the Habs and 4 points back of the 8th place Bruins. A win here in regulation would be a big deal for the Lightning, especially considering they will still have 3 games in hand on the Habs at the end of the night. Secondly, the Lightning's two French-Canadian superstars, Vinny Lecavalier & Martin St. Louis both have a tendency to turn it way up whenever the Bolts play in Montreal. Add it all up and you have a game that will probably fly under the radar a bit (especially in the States) but could turn out to be a very good game.
Prediction: Habs 3-1
I'd Rather Watch Ice Dancing: New York Islanders (26-31-8, 60 points, 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East) at Philadelphia Flyers (34-26-4, 72 points, 3rd in Atlantic, 6th in East)
7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST
National TV: Versus (US)
Ah yes, for the first time and I'm sure not the last, my worst game of the night also happens to be the only game picked up on national TV here in the good 'ol US of A! But Versus only has themselves to blame for this one: inexplicably this will be the second time the Flyers-Isles have aired on Versus this season, despite the fact that the Flyers are carrying an unbelievable FIFTEEN GAME winning streak over the Islanders into tonight's contest! The last time the Islanders were in Philly they looked lifeless, and that was at a time they were playing MUCH better hockey overall than they are right now. The Isles have faded from their surprising form earlier in the season, as many young teams tend to do, and are currently all but out of the playoff race. This should be yet another one-sided romp for the Flyers in this incredibly one-sided "rivalry", and you should almost definitely take a pass on watching it.
Prediction: Flyers 5-1
The Rest
Bruins @ Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm EST: Whoa, didn't these guys just play each other? Well, that game went to a shootout, so who knows, this one could provide some excitement too. But expecting the Leafs to get up for a game these days has proven to be a bit of a crapshoot: the same week they were taking the Bruins to a shootout in Beantown, they were also losing at home, 5-1, to the Carolina Hurricanes. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
Predators @ Thrashers, 7:00 pm EST: Talk about two teams that desperately need points: the Thrashers are coming off their collapse against Vancouver and have seen their playoff cushion evaporate to just 2 points over 9th place Calgary, while the Thrashers decided the best way to celebrate being in the top 8 in the East was by losing two in a row, which now sees them in 10th and 3 points out again. Funny thing about desperation: it tends to bring out a hell of a hockey game. Verdict: Probably Worth Your Time
Panthers @ Wild, 8:00 pm EST: I literally have absolutely nothing to say about this game. I can tell you they're both hockey teams and they're both allegedly still in their playoff races. Yeah, that's about it. Okay, I know that's weak, but YOU try finding something to write about a game between the FLORIDA FRIGGIN' PANTHERS and the MINNESOTA FRIGGIN' WILD. Thought so. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Senators @ Oilers, 9:00 pm EST: Now are you starting to see why I said tonight's lineup was kind of weak? Boy, between that last game, this one, and one more still to come, there was more competition for the Ice Dancing "award" than anything else tonight. The Sens are very good, the Oilers are very bad, nothing to see here, move along please. Verdict: Not Worth Your Time
Blue Jackets @ Ducks, 10:00 pm EST: Ever watch Robot Chicken? Okay, ever see that skit they did parodying those Fox specials with "World's Most One-Sided Fist Fights"? Several of the "fights" from that skit, including a man reaching down into a stroller and repeatedly punching a baby, were more competitive than last night's Kings-Jackets game. After 40 minutes, the Kings had more goals (six) than the Jackets had SHOTS ON GOAL (five). When have you EVER heard of that happening? I guess my point is, tonight's game can go one of two ways: either the Jackets will come out pissed off and take it out on the Ducks, or they'll come out and get slaughtered again by an Anaheim team that really, really needs the 2 points to keep their playoff hopes alive. If it's the former, it might be a fun game to watch. But if it's the latter, well, it'll be fun if you're a Ducks fan, suicidally depressing if you're a Jackets fan, and utterly uninteresting for everyone else. Hey, at least the Jackets won't be able to use the usual built-in "we just played a game last night, we're tired" excuse if they lose tonight. Using that excuse actually requires PLAYING IN THE GAME THE NIGHT BEFORE. Which, you know, they didn't. Okay, I'm done. Verdict: Might Be Worth Your Time
And that's it for tonight, ladies and gents. I'll be back, perhaps with some early rumblings from the first two days of the GM meetings. Enjoy the hockey.
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