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East Playoff ...umm... Race?


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#1 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:19 PM

Is it me or has the Eastern Conference playoff push become a turtle race?

Only two teams seem to be playing with any kind of momentum right now - the Rangers and the *gasp* Panthers.....
(though I think it's very much a "too little, too late" situation for Florida)

What the heck is going on here?

Tampa is in for now, but don't appear to be worried about playing too well.
Carolina is stumbling along....missing Cam Ward?
The Islanders....well they are missing DiPietro for sure ....maybe Simon too.
Montreal and Toronto both seem to not want to make a run.....okay the Habs are missing Huet, the Leafs Kaberle.
Boston just keeps shooting themselves in the foot.....(and like Florida they appear to be dead)

But while we are making excuses for some teams about missing players, the Rangers are missing Shanahan fer cryin' out loud.....

Right now there are only 4 points separating 6th place from 11th place:

CODE
Pl   Team       GP W  L  OTL Pts Last 10
6  Tampa Bay    72 39 29  4  82  4-5-1
7  Carolina     73 36 29  8  80  5-4-1
8  NY Rangers   72 35 28  9  79  6-1-3
9  NY Islanders 71 34 27 10  78  4-4-2
10 Toronto      72 34 28 10  78  4-5-1
11 Montreal     73 36 31  6  78  4-6-0


Any thoughts on who will finally take the last 3 spots in the East?
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#2 serge

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:29 PM

I hardly think the Leafs are stumbling along....They will get in along with Tampa Bay and the Rangers
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#3 Zach6668

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:36 PM

QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I hardly think the Leafs are stumbling along....They will get in along with Tampa Bay and the Rangers

4-5-1 in the last 10 isn't stumbling along?
QUOTE (serge @ Tuesday, May 12th, 2009, 7:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LETS GO PITTSBURGH
QUOTE (Acid_Knight @ Monday, March 10th, 2008, 4:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Zach is right about pretty much everything.

#4 serge

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:39 PM

QUOTE (Zach6668 @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 8:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
4-5-1 in the last 10 isn't stumbling along?


actually yes...they have played much better with Tucker and Wellwood back...
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#5 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:42 PM

QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I hardly think the Leafs are stumbling along....They will get in along with Tampa Bay and the Rangers

4-5-1 in their last 10 games ain't exactly lighting the world on fire.... tongue.gif

The Rangers look good right now as Lundqvist is very hot for them.
Tampa still has to worry about giving up goals, they'll go as far as their offense will carry them.
....and if the Islanders get DiPietro back, they can be dangerous.

Lots of "ifs" out there....
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#6 serge

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:48 PM

QUOTE (hockey fan @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 8:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
4-5-1 in their last 10 games ain't exactly lighting the world on fire.... tongue.gif

The Rangers look good right now as Lundqvist is very hot for them.
Tampa still has to worry about giving up goals, they'll go as far as their offense will carry them.
....and if the Islanders get DiPietro back, they can be dangerous.

Lots of "ifs" out there....



The Leafs have shown they will come to play in big games...Today they played a very good game especially in the second half....

Islanders are toast....Rangers still have issues...


Itst Tampa,Toronto and Carolina
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#7 Zach6668

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:52 PM

QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I hardly think the Leafs are stumbling along....They will get in along with Tampa Bay and the Rangers



QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Leafs have shown they will come to play in big games...Today they played a very good game especially in the second half....

Islanders are toast....Rangers still have issues...
Itst Tampa,Toronto and Carolina

Dude... 19 minutes apart and you contradict yourself...
QUOTE (serge @ Tuesday, May 12th, 2009, 7:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LETS GO PITTSBURGH
QUOTE (Acid_Knight @ Monday, March 10th, 2008, 4:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Zach is right about pretty much everything.

#8 serge

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 07:57 PM

QUOTE (Zach6668 @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 8:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Dude... 19 minutes apart and you contradict yourself...


Does it matter ...who cares who else gets in...

The Leafs are getting in...Just worry about your stupid furry little Penguins.
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#9 Zach6668

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:00 PM

QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Does it matter ...who cares who else gets in...

The Leafs are getting in...Just worry about your stupid furry little Penguins.

lol

I wish them good luck, they are one of my favorite non-Penguin teams due to proximity, and them being my Dad's favorite team growing up, however, I don't like their chances.
QUOTE (serge @ Tuesday, May 12th, 2009, 7:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LETS GO PITTSBURGH
QUOTE (Acid_Knight @ Monday, March 10th, 2008, 4:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Zach is right about pretty much everything.

#10 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:01 PM

QUOTE (serge @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Leafs have shown they will come to play in big games...Today they played a very good game especially in the second half....

Islanders are toast....Rangers still have issues...
Itst Tampa,Toronto and Carolina

Dude, I don't care how many "issues" they have - Lundqvist has given up only 13 goals in his last 8 games!
He's only lost once in regulation over that span.
If he stays this hot, the Rangers are a shoo-in.
And it looks like Shanny may be back soon too....

Carolina is one team I can't figure out....they appear to be too good to be struggling, yet they are.
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#11 serge

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:03 PM

QUOTE (Zach6668 @ Saturday, March 17th, 2007, 9:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
lol

I wish them good luck, they are one of my favorite non-Penguin teams due to proximity, and them being my Dad's favorite team growing up, however, I don't like their chances.


You should listen to your dad...He is a smart man...You have gone to the dark side...Its not too late to come back.
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#12 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:06 PM

As a side note - when was the last time BOTH of the previous year's Stanley Cup finalists failed to make the playoffs the following year???

It sure looks like it could happen this year....
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened." - Douglas Adams

#13 DanielNegreanu

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:33 PM

The Rangers are in. No doubt about it. They are finally starting to play like the winning team last season that relied on superstar goaltending and great defense. Lundqvist is the real deal.

AGAIN, HOW SICK ARE MY AHL GOALIES!!!!! All my guys are on fire right. 4 goalies in the top 10 Lundqvist, Luongo, Nabakov, and Toskala. Back to back shutouts and a GAA under 1.00 during the AHL playoffs.




#14 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:46 PM

QUOTE (hockey fan @ Sunday, March 18th, 2007, 12:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
As a side note - when was the last time BOTH of the previous year's Stanley Cup finalists failed to make the playoffs the following year???

It sure looks like it could happen this year....

Wow....unless my Google skills are failing me, this has NEVER happened.
Never, in the history of the NHL, have both of the Cup finalists not made the playoffs the following year.
We may have a historic event this year.

...and yes Daniel, your goalies ARE sick! bubble_lol.gif
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened." - Douglas Adams

#15 Jason12

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 08:57 PM

The Rangers will go as far as Lundqvist takes them, without Shanahan the Rangers rely too much on the Jagr line.

The Hurricanes have been streaky all year, but they need Ward back if they are gonna make the playoffs.

The Habs need Halak to play like he played tonight for the rest of the year to make the playoffs.

The Leafs probably have the toughest schedule to end the season. They can't afford to play like they did against Washington or they won't make the playoffs.

The Islanders need to get Dipietro back, Dunham can't stop a beach ball.

#16 Zach6668

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 09:22 PM

Daniel, have I mentioned that your AHL goalies are sick?
QUOTE (serge @ Tuesday, May 12th, 2009, 7:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LETS GO PITTSBURGH
QUOTE (Acid_Knight @ Monday, March 10th, 2008, 4:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Zach is right about pretty much everything.

#17 hockey fan

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Posted 17 March 2007 - 09:25 PM

Okay, how about some fearless predictions?

In:
Tampa - 7 home games, 3 road games; only 5 playoff teams to face - an easy schedule should get them in.
Rangers - riding Lundqvist, and the return of Shanahan puts them over the top. They also have the easiest schedule - the only playoff team they face over their last 10 games is Pittsburgh, twice.
Carolina - only 4 playoff opponents in their last 9 games - they should just squeak in on that schedule

Out:
Islanders - 8 of their last 11 games are against playoff teams - their schedule is their worst enemy
Toronto - 7 of their last 10 are against playoff teams - a tough schedule and too many teams to beat will cause them to fall just short - AGAIN! icon_hand.gif
Montreal - only 4 playoff teams to face in their 9 remaining games. If they can beat up on Boston (3 games) they MIGHT be able to nip Carolina out for the last playoff spot. (but I doubt it....)
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened." - Douglas Adams

#18 hockey fan

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Posted 18 March 2007 - 01:43 PM

Good news for all the chasers with Tampa getting whupped by the Capitals today 7-1.
Maybe the Caps will be the mega-spoilers this year??
They still play Montreal, Carolina and Tampa one more time.

Also the Flyers can definitely cause some pain as they play the Rangers and Islanders each twice and the Leafs and Carolina once.

Florida also gets to try and derail Tampa and Carolina - they play them twice more each
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#19 Speed Limit

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Posted 18 March 2007 - 07:25 PM

Florida does get to play spoiler, their realistic chances of getting in are gone but hopefully they'll still play hard.
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#20 LongLiveYorke

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Posted 19 March 2007 - 07:44 AM

Speaking of Rangers, I was at Saturday's game when they blew out Boston 7-0, and it was pretty entertaining. Without a few of their great players, including Shanahan and with Straka being hurt in the first period, they were able to put on an amazing show and showed that they have the drive and passion to make a real run at the playoffs. With Shanny returning hopefully in a game or two, some strong players stepping up (Avery, Cullen, Nylander), Lundqvist being probably in the top two best goaltenders of the league, and of course Jagr, I think they have a good chance. I just hope we don't get blown out if we actually make the playoffs like last year.

ps. the above signature picture is pretty amazing!!!




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