It's been a while since a standings update. And I'm going to go traveling soon, and I don't know how much posting I'm gonna get to do, pretty much right up through the end of the regular season. I may have to miss games, which makes me SuperMegaUltraMiserable (SMUM). So I'd better get at least this one in now.
4. Philadelphia, 92 pts, 7 GR
5. Carolina, 91 pts, 5 GR
6. Pittsburgh, 90 pts, 6 GR
7. NEW YORK RANGERS, 89 pts, 5 GR
8. Montréal, 86 pts, 7 GR
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9. Florida, 85 pts, 6 GR
10. Buffalo, 82 pts, 7 GR
Wow, in all this time, the ranking still hasn't shifted. Don't get comfortable or anything. Just sayin'. It's neat.
Oh Em Gee why am I still listing Buffalo? I think maybe 'cause it's more embarrassing for them if I keep listing them and they never climb? Lindy Ruff is a dick.
Our next game is Thursday night at 7, and it's on the road against the suddenly-hot 'Canes. Do the math: if we win it, we tie them. If they win it, they're 4 points ahead of us with 4 games left in the standings. I know it's not too likely at this point that they'll find themselves in 9th or 10th at season's end, but we need the points on them to keep ourselves out of those spots. And bear in mind how much better a position like 6th or 7th is than a position like 8th. Taking these points from the 'Canes is almost as important as winning them for ourselves. They will be a very hard team to beat right now. If we play the way we have over the last 2 games, we'll be in okay shape.
Also in action before and on that night:
Blackhawks at Montréal, tonight at 7:30 - Come on 'Hawks - you want home-ice advantage, and we could use a little breathing room. The Habs have 2 games-in-hand on us - if they win them both, we're actually in 8th (which is not only precariously close to 9th, it's also a Bruins draw (and therefore likely early exit) in the first round). This counts as one of them.
Senators at Florida, tonight at 7:30 - Remember a week ago, when everyone said "OH HEY THE SENATORS WON SOME GAMES NOW THEY WILL END UP IN 4TH AND WIN THE CUP"? Yeah, that's over. Go Sens.
Sabres at Atlanta, tomorrow night at 7:00 - Go Thrashers! Keep sticking nails in this already-obviously-sealed coffin!
Flyers at Toronto, tomorrow night at 7:30 - I wouldn't normally actually consider catching the Flyers at this point, even though it's only a 3-point difference, because of their 2 games-in-hand and their playing-of-worse-teams-than-we-are-in-the-homestretch. But, our last 2 games of the season each are a home-and-home against each other, so there are big points to be gained between us. Toronto could certainly make this sound a little more plausible if they stole 2 here.
Devils at Pittsburgh, tomorrow night at 7:30 - If I weren't so busy, I would go to this game. I hesitate to say I have a good feeling about any game involving the NHL's godforsaken wunderkind, but the Devils will want one badly against another division rival after we spanked them so badly last night. Come on, Marty!
Canadiens at Long Island, Thursday night at 7:00 - I hate when bubble teams get to play the Fish Sticks, because I hate when bubble teams get free points. You can hope for the Isles in this one, because "anything can happen blah blah blah," but I wouldn't get too excited.
That's it! Let's Go Rangers!
Showing posts with label Let's Go Maple Leafs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Let's Go Maple Leafs. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
And so on
Everything last night went as expected: the superior teams all won. The Islanders kept it interesting for a while, but the 'Canes had a late surge (and a late-second-period really-that-wasn't-goalie-interference-we-swear) to come back and win 5-4, and so everything is as expected:
4. Philadelphia, 86 pts, 12 GR
5. Pittsburgh, 86 pts, 9 GR
6. Carolina, 83 pts, 9 GR
7. NEW YORK RANGERS, 82 pts, 11 GR
8. Montréal, 81 pts, 11 GR
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9. Florida, 80 pts, 11 GR
10. Buffalo, 76 pts, 11 GR
Nothing wrong with that. We can only win our games. And we have 2 of 'em this weekend, both against theoretically inferior teams. Tonight at 7:00, we play the Sabres, and tomorrow night at 7:00, we play the Senators. Both at the Garden. These definitely count as "must-win" games. All the other teams in our position have been, as I've noted, beating the teams they should be beating. To drop these at home would be terrible for us. If you look at the standings, we're in 7th, but with our two games-in-hand, we're tied for 5th, 3 points ahead of 7th. These count as those two games-in-hand. Beating Buffalo would give us the added bonus of sticking them, considering the Canadiens' game-in-hand, 7 points out of the playoffs with 10 games left. As a team that really isn't all that comfortably far from 8th ourselves, this would help us breathe a little easier.
In our most recent stretch, we proved that we can come up and win big in the big games. Now, we need to prove that we've gotten over our other usual folly: sitting back when we think we can. The Sabres, given the situation I just described, are desperate for two points and will be playing like it. Ottawa has been having a very good stretch of playing spoiler lately, 7-1-0 in their last 8, including wins over the Pens and Canadiens and 2 over the Sabres. If we do the Old New York Ranger thing of sitting back and thinking these games will be easy, we will lose them both. It's up to Torts to make sure that doesn't happen.
There's a lot of other around-the-conference action this weekend, too. Each of the 7 teams in 4th-10th is in action once (we are the only ones in action more than that, playing twice). Unlike last night's games, these have a lot of real opportunity for the right teams to lose. This is for all you scoreboard-watchers out there (that's how you're supposed to address your audience on blogs, even blogs that aren't actually read, right? "All you...out there"?):
Maple Leafs at Montréal, 7:00 tonight - The Canadiens have been slipping lately, and this could be an excellent opportunity for Toronto to put some space between us and their "no-really-OUR-city-is-the-capital-of-hockey" rivals.
Capitals at Carolina, 7:00 tonight - Come on, Ovechkin. I just wrote a whole fake letter about how you're so great. Do it for me. With games-in-hand, Carolina's actually in 9th, not 6th, and this is another great opportunity to find space between us and them.
Blue Jackets at Florida, 7:00 tonight - Yes yes yes. Put all these together, and Montréal, Carolina, Florida, and Buffalo all have meaningful chances to lose tonight. I know we're supposed to be looking up, but it would be really nice to look down and not see immediate fear of a playoff spot disappearing. The Jackets are starting to get comfortable with the idea of their first-ever playoff run, but could use another handful of wins to get really cozy. How can you not root for Rick Nash, Steve Mason, and those boys?
Flyers at Pittsburgh, 12:30 tomorrow - Oh god fuck this game. The two teams hovering barely above us battle it out. Root against overtime. I can't mathematically pick a team I'd rather have win, though my instincts tell me we should root for Philly, because with games-in-hand, they're slightly ahead, but I can pick a team I despise more and would therefore rather have lose. Fuck the Pens.
And of course, our two games. Big weekend for the Eastern Conference bubble. Let's Go Rangers!
4. Philadelphia, 86 pts, 12 GR
5. Pittsburgh, 86 pts, 9 GR
6. Carolina, 83 pts, 9 GR
7. NEW YORK RANGERS, 82 pts, 11 GR
8. Montréal, 81 pts, 11 GR
-------------------------
9. Florida, 80 pts, 11 GR
10. Buffalo, 76 pts, 11 GR
Nothing wrong with that. We can only win our games. And we have 2 of 'em this weekend, both against theoretically inferior teams. Tonight at 7:00, we play the Sabres, and tomorrow night at 7:00, we play the Senators. Both at the Garden. These definitely count as "must-win" games. All the other teams in our position have been, as I've noted, beating the teams they should be beating. To drop these at home would be terrible for us. If you look at the standings, we're in 7th, but with our two games-in-hand, we're tied for 5th, 3 points ahead of 7th. These count as those two games-in-hand. Beating Buffalo would give us the added bonus of sticking them, considering the Canadiens' game-in-hand, 7 points out of the playoffs with 10 games left. As a team that really isn't all that comfortably far from 8th ourselves, this would help us breathe a little easier.
In our most recent stretch, we proved that we can come up and win big in the big games. Now, we need to prove that we've gotten over our other usual folly: sitting back when we think we can. The Sabres, given the situation I just described, are desperate for two points and will be playing like it. Ottawa has been having a very good stretch of playing spoiler lately, 7-1-0 in their last 8, including wins over the Pens and Canadiens and 2 over the Sabres. If we do the Old New York Ranger thing of sitting back and thinking these games will be easy, we will lose them both. It's up to Torts to make sure that doesn't happen.
There's a lot of other around-the-conference action this weekend, too. Each of the 7 teams in 4th-10th is in action once (we are the only ones in action more than that, playing twice). Unlike last night's games, these have a lot of real opportunity for the right teams to lose. This is for all you scoreboard-watchers out there (that's how you're supposed to address your audience on blogs, even blogs that aren't actually read, right? "All you...out there"?):
Maple Leafs at Montréal, 7:00 tonight - The Canadiens have been slipping lately, and this could be an excellent opportunity for Toronto to put some space between us and their "no-really-OUR-city-is-the-capital-of-hockey" rivals.
Capitals at Carolina, 7:00 tonight - Come on, Ovechkin. I just wrote a whole fake letter about how you're so great. Do it for me. With games-in-hand, Carolina's actually in 9th, not 6th, and this is another great opportunity to find space between us and them.
Blue Jackets at Florida, 7:00 tonight - Yes yes yes. Put all these together, and Montréal, Carolina, Florida, and Buffalo all have meaningful chances to lose tonight. I know we're supposed to be looking up, but it would be really nice to look down and not see immediate fear of a playoff spot disappearing. The Jackets are starting to get comfortable with the idea of their first-ever playoff run, but could use another handful of wins to get really cozy. How can you not root for Rick Nash, Steve Mason, and those boys?
Flyers at Pittsburgh, 12:30 tomorrow - Oh god fuck this game. The two teams hovering barely above us battle it out. Root against overtime. I can't mathematically pick a team I'd rather have win, though my instincts tell me we should root for Philly, because with games-in-hand, they're slightly ahead, but I can pick a team I despise more and would therefore rather have lose. Fuck the Pens.
And of course, our two games. Big weekend for the Eastern Conference bubble. Let's Go Rangers!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Getting this out of the way
Here's your state-of-the-conference update. It looks much the same as last night, but here it is anyway.
Last night, the Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-2. This is why I was rooting for the Blackhawks two nights ago. Not because I hate Brodeur (though I do) - as I said, he was GONNA get that record anyway. I was rooting for the 'Hawks because, had they won, the Devils would have played Brodeur and well last night. Instead, coming off of that big victory the night before, they played Weekes and badly, and let Carolina come at them. Fine. As usual, the Devils piss me off. 2 points for the 'Canes, who remain in 8th with them.
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, 81 pts, 10 GR
-------------------------
9. Florida, 78 pts, 12 GR
10. Buffalo, 76 pts, 12 GR
Tonight, at 7:30, there are two games that matter. Each features a 70-ish-point Eastern team playing an 80-ish-point Eastern team. The Senators play host to the Canadiens, and the Leafs go into Florida. Maybe Ottawa can keep doing us favors. Maybe the Cats can drop one. Maybe not. It would sure be nice. Anyway, those are the games to watch tonight.
Last night, the Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-2. This is why I was rooting for the Blackhawks two nights ago. Not because I hate Brodeur (though I do) - as I said, he was GONNA get that record anyway. I was rooting for the 'Hawks because, had they won, the Devils would have played Brodeur and well last night. Instead, coming off of that big victory the night before, they played Weekes and badly, and let Carolina come at them. Fine. As usual, the Devils piss me off. 2 points for the 'Canes, who remain in 8th with them.
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, 81 pts, 10 GR
-------------------------
9. Florida, 78 pts, 12 GR
10. Buffalo, 76 pts, 12 GR
Tonight, at 7:30, there are two games that matter. Each features a 70-ish-point Eastern team playing an 80-ish-point Eastern team. The Senators play host to the Canadiens, and the Leafs go into Florida. Maybe Ottawa can keep doing us favors. Maybe the Cats can drop one. Maybe not. It would sure be nice. Anyway, those are the games to watch tonight.
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