Standings

Last night was good for other reasons as well, despite the point we granted Montréal for a job well-done. The Penguins beat a Kovalchuk-less, Lehtonen-less Atlanta - this victory gets classified as "not worrisome." They won by a lot, over a terrible team. All these bubble teams are gonna pick up points here and there, and I'm not worried about the Pens being able to beat a team like this. This is exactly the kind of place I'm comfortable with the Pens gaining their points. When they beat Boston, I was pissed.

The point is: other than these Pens' two and the point we gave the Canadiens, our other enemies stayed quiet last night. The Senators beat the Sabres 4-2 (the Sabres are still in my consideration, but at this point it's pretty much just so we can keep watching them fall), and the Caps blanked the Cats by 3 (Capitals, thank you. I'm sorry I yelled). Hell, the Red Wings even beat the Flyers 3-2. (Hey, Penguins. Detroit is Hockeytown. This "Pittsburgh is Hockeytahn" campaign is so inaccurate and assuming as to be offensive. You lost last season. Remember using a lot of firepower and no real defense in tearing through three subpar Eastern Conference teams before getting your asses handed to you in the finals? If Pittsburgh is Hockeytahn then Arizona is Football-land.) Sorry, I've derailed. The point is: even the Flyers lost. Which means it's time for me to stop pussy-footing around. I imagine Torts screaming at me to man up and allow myself to want greatness, to always look up instead of down. And in Torts I trust. So, let's take a look at those standings:

4. Philadelphia, 84 pts, 13 GR
5. Pittsburgh, 84 pts, 10 GR
6. NEW YORK RANGERS, 82 pts, 11 GR
7. Montréal, 81 pts, 12 GR
8. Carolina, 79 pts, 11 GR
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9. Florida, 78 pts, 12 GR
10. Buffalo, 76 pts, 12 GR

The Devils are in Carolina tonight at 7:00, in the only game tonight that affects these teams. As usual, I hate rooting for the Devils, so I won't be watching, but Go Devils nonetheless. Oh God even typing that hurts.