Playoff picture discussion thread (standings on first page)

[Guest]

The games in hand are going to begin to even out now. We sure aren't going to have it easy

but neither is anyone else fighting for a playoff spot. I don't worry to much about the Flyers because we won't catch them. 4-8 is up for grabs. We can do it.

[Guest]

The games in hand are going to begin to even out now. We sure aren't going to have it easy

but neither is anyone else fighting for a playoff spot. I don't worry to much about the Flyers because we won't catch them. 4-8 is up for grabs. We can do it.

[caniac23]

Tomorrow (today) we want Philly and Boston to win big. Philly beats NYR and Boston beats Pitts, and please, for the love of Dairy Queen Cheesequake, no record days and nights of overtime games going to the shootout. Stick with the 4-4 for 5 minute intervals.

[bigbander]

Good article and breakdown by Allan Muir on the Eastern Conference bubble teams...HERE

[kingofminneapolis]

Does anybody else get the feeling that almost every season, right around this time of the year we always have the most games played in the league? Right now we have one more than everyone else with 71, and most teams are still in the 60's. It seems to me like this happens most years, does anybody know why?

[mhs1102]

Good article and breakdown by Allan Muir on the Eastern Conference bubble teams...http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/allan_muir/03/13/eastern.bubble.forecast/index.html?eref=si_hockey' target="_blank">HERE[/post]

oh nooooo, lets prove him wrong...please??!!

[Hauser]

Does anybody else get the feeling that almost every season, right around this time of the year we always have the most games played in the league? Right now we have one more than everyone else with 71, and most teams are still in the 60's. It seems to me like this happens most years, does anybody know why?

yea, I found that odd too in the past. Matter of fact, I was often under the impression that the Habs had the most balanced schedule. Probably all just coincidence.

[ericncsu]

Does anybody else get the feeling that almost every season, right around this time of the year we always have the most games played in the league? Right now we have one more than everyone else with 71, and most teams are still in the 60's. It seems to me like this happens most years, does anybody know why?

Thankfully now with 4 days off, some teams are going to burn up some of those extra games. Rangers play today and Tuesday, so they will be at 72 games when we play our game 72 on wendsday. Pittsburgh plays today (game 71) and Tue (game 72), Buffalo plays Tuesday (game 70) and Florida plays Tuesday (Game 70).

The Rangers play Philly again today and Montreal on Tue, hopefully loses them both. Pittsburgh plays Boston Tue, hope Boston can beat them, but probably not. Florida plays Washington Tue so Washington could help us out there.

The on this weekend Buffalo plays back to back against Philly and Rangers (fri/sat), then on Wend (25th) against Florida.. so Buffalo will be battling with the teams above them fighting for playoff spots.. if they lose those games they will be out of the race for sure.

[remkin]

I posted in the Washington post game that this team has looked very good over the last 13 game on balance. Much better than before that. This includes the last three even though they were technically all losses, they did get 2 points and could easily have gotten 4. Nothing about the last 3 games would cause me to think that we are not still playing a high level.

That said, I think that the moral victories need to stop Wednesday. NJ wins about 2/3 games on the road, and is the hottest team in the entire NHL over the last 10 games (yes even better than Pittsburgh). So a close loss would not mean we are not playing well and I am not saying that we cannot lose that game, but that we really do need those actual points. Further a win there could spark an amazing run.

Once again we find ourselves needing to make a stretch run to get in. But, also once again we seem to be peaking at the right time.

[architorture]

Wings get a shutout, clinch a berth, and break a record in the same game. No wonder there are so many fairweather Wings fans

[caniac23]

I posted in the Washington post game that this team has looked very good over the last 13 game on balance. Much better than before that. This includes the last three even though they were technically all losses, they did get 2 points and could easily have gotten 4. Nothing about the last 3 games would cause me to think that we are not still playing a high level.

That said, I think that the moral victories need to stop Wednesday. NJ wins about 2/3 games on the road, and is the hottest team in the entire NHL over the last 10 games (yes even better than Pittsburgh). So a close loss would not mean we are not playing well and I am not saying that we cannot lose that game, but that we really do need those actual points. Further a win there could spark an amazing run.

Once again we find ourselves needing to make a stretch run to get in. But, also once again we seem to be peaking at the right time.

We also beat a streaking hot NJ team in the PO's. They had a few days off, but they were "unstoppable". Here's hoping we get a big win Wednesday.

[RonnieFranchise]

If the point total of 94 for that final playoff spot holds true we have to go 7 - 3 - 1 to finish out the schedule. In our last eleven game stretch we were playing some great hockey and went(6 - 3 - 2). In the eleven game stretch prior to this we were playing equally as well and went(7 - 4 - 0). Not enough in both cases and I predict we will miss the playoffs once again this season.

[hag65]

One easier way to look at this is simply this...

Assuming Millerless Buffalo doesn't re-enter the battle, at least finishing better than we do, then all you need is one choker from the remaining teams. 94 points might not be necessary if that happens. Last season we were the choker, all it takes is someone else this season, and you have more teams to choose from this time.

Shoot for 7-3-1, yes, but there are other scenarios too that still make it in. To expect all 6 teams fighting for the 4 slots in play to essentially run the table is not likely. At least 1 or 2 are going to lay an egg. Lets not be one of the 2.

[ericncsu]

If the point total of 94 for that final playoff spot holds true we have to go 7 - 3 - 1 to finish out the schedule. In our last eleven game stretch we were playing some great hockey and went(6 - 3 - 2). In the eleven game stretch prior to this we were playing equally as well and went(7 - 4 - 0). Not enough in both cases and I predict we will miss the playoffs once again this season.

How many of those games were up against teams we are fighting for in the playoffs? I know we beat the rangers, so not only does it help us, but holds them back. We beat Buffalo twice in Feb. We beat Washington twice (before our recent SO loss) even though we arent really competing with them for a spot.

Yes we need to win a lot of games and get points, but the really key games to win will be games against teams below us, if we win and get points and at the same time deny them points that means more then just random wins and losses.

March 23rd against Florida, Apr 2nd against the Rangers, Apr 4th against the Penguins and Apr 9th against the Sabres will all be key games. In that stretch we also have two games against the islanders (which we better win!) 3 games against NJ, which could sadly all be losses, a game against Ottawa we should win, and one last game against the Caps.

If we win both islanders games, win the four games with teams below us (Florida, Buffalo, Rangers and Ottawa) thats 6 wins, even if we lose to NJ, Caps and Pens.. 6-5 might not be that bad (since we deny points to Florida and Buffalo) and if we can take any of the losing games to OT we could garner a few more points. But I wouldnt worry about having to pull the major upset against a top team like NJ.. I would be more concerned about making sure we beat Buffalo and Florida. A few loses wont kill us. Buffalo and NYR have a tough schedule to finish the season also. And its not just OUR points that matter, but denying the other teams points as well.

Also, if Florida and Buffalo go on a losing skid and we pull out a 4 or 5 point lead, it may not matter how many points we have since we just would have to win enough to hold on to 8th place.

Everybody is so hung up on 94 points, but you cant just pick that number because every playoff team for the last 10 years has made 94 points or higher.. you have to look at the point totals of the whole conference, which are probably lower then normal. If we won all 11 games left that's 22 points, so our highest point total we can achieve is 101 points. Buffalo can only achieve 102 (they have 13 games left), Florida can achieve 104 (also 13 games left)... but thats assuming we all win all 11-13 games we have left, which we know will not happen. If we win more games over all then Buffalo and Florida do we will get in, regardless if we go 7-4, 6-5, 5-6 as long as it MORE then them. So the key is still to win more then we lose and to win games against Florida and Buffalo. A 6-5 record would put us at 91 points, but again, if its higher then Florida we still get in.

*Basically what Hag65 said, just a more in depth look at it.. LOL

[goalies-rule-2]

Here's hoping they don't just settle for wins against the 2nd tier teams. To make the playoffs is the main goal, but you want to hit the deck running. We know we can win against any of the upper tier teams and we need to establish that going into the playoffs. We can still enter the playoffs on a roll rather than squeaking in.

Go Canes!

[hockeybaby]

I don't care what the scenario is or what any other team does. JUST GET IN

[dinz]

ok, T and i will be in raleigh wednesday through sunday... if the skuttlebutt around is that marty is in goal wednesday nite, then i will personally find where they are staying, and take him for a long ride through raleigh.., so he misess the game.. kidding of course.. i hope he gets the record tomorrow nite..

[ericncsu]

ok, T and i will be in raleigh wednesday through sunday... if the skuttlebutt around is that marty is in goal wednesday nite, then i will personally find where they are staying, and take him for a long ride through raleigh.., so he misess the game.. kidding of course.. i hope he gets the record tomorrow nite..

Me too.. i hope he gets it and they give him a week off and we face Weekes. LOL

[Canes06cup17]

I wish everyone didn't have so many games in hand against us. Hopefully Montreal won't find their game and Miller stays out a while longer. The main thing is we need to take care of winning our games. Of course we will scoreboard watch some but we sure can't depend on these teams in the fight for the playoffs to lose. I hope Marty beats the record tonight-if he does I can't see why they would play him in back to back games but then I'm not the coach am I I hope the Caps rebound from last night and demolish the Kitty Kats. Maybe the Thrashers could stay hot and help us out we a win too.

[colliefan]

With tonight's win against the Devils, the Canes have 81 points with 10 games remaining. The big issue is the games in hand the other teams have over the Canes, Getting the 13 points is very "do-able." as a 6-3-1 record would get them to this level. But knowing the nature of the Canes over the past three years, they very well can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory,

[Category5]

At this point, the team has control of it's own destiny (assuming that other teams don't have control over their own ). What I mean is, if the team wins out (including a win in regulation against the Pansies) then nobody below us can catch us. I know that would require the longest win streak in team history, however if memory serves - NJD won 15 straight heading into the playoffs in 2006. Simply put, the guys need to play every single game, one game at a time, as if it is game 7. If they play like they did last night, we will be buying post-season tickets.

[Stanley-C]

Ya, I agree that the Canes control their own destiny. With all the remaining home games tand the professional level they are playing at now...they can do it! It's suprising to see what the Cole Trade did for the canes. He ignites Staal, enables samsonov to move to the third line which got Brindamour going, and all of a sudden the power play looks great! Goaltending is solid, and it helps that three scoring lines now can put the puck in the net which helps Ward so that he doesn't have to stand on his head every night. Man, I wish we had this line chemistry back in the fall....

[hopper915]

The return of Cole kinda reminds me of a few years ago during Mo's first stint when the Canes were slumping. They brought back Sean Hill and he eased things in the locker-room and the team played better down the stretch.

Canes will play their last back-to-back this weekend. After that, their schedule has them playing about every other night.

10 games left, 7 of those at home. They just need to take care of business and finish strong. The final week of the season is brutal for some of the teams we are fighting a playoff spot for.

The only thing that bothers me is that Montreal, Florida and Buffalo have two games in hand. BUT that also means they have a tougher road to close out their seasons.

[bigbander]

Tonight...I'm an Ottawa Leaf!

Alright, tonight we've got Montreal against Ottawa and Florida against Toronto. Don't expect any help tonight, especially considering the last time Florida and Toronto played, the Leafs blew a 4-1 lead in the 3rd.

[IceFrog999]

Alright, tonight we've got Montreal against Ottawa and Florida against Toronto. Don't expect any help tonight, especially considering the last time Florida and Toronto played, the Leafs blew a 4-1 lead in the 3rd.