Nashville holds the number one spot in the West and the Central Division with 105 points in 77 games. Their division rivals, the Red Wings are only 2 points behind with a game in hand, so anything can happen. The Predators and Red Wings will face each other on Thursday in one of the bigger games of the season for both teams. If the Predators were to lose that game, they would still retain first place on a count of the number of games played and wins.
Second in the West currently belongs to the Anaheim Ducks. They are currently five points behind Nashville for first in the West, with a game in hand as well. The Ducks play in Chicago tonight to make up their game in hand and then in Columbus on Thursday. By Friday morning, they could only be one point behind both the Wings and the Predators for top spot in the West. That's to say Detroit beats Nashville on Thursday. Division-wise, they are only 2 points up on Dallas, so a decision about where they'll finish is far from over yet.
Tops in the Northwest Division today is Vancouver. The Canucks hold a slim 1 point advantage on the Minnesota Wild with a game in hand on their rivals. Thursday, the Canucks take on the Kings in Los Angeles and then are back home to the Flames on Saturday. They are currently one point behind the Ducks for 2nd in the West and 6 back of Nashville for 1st. With the win last night against Colorado (in regulation), that set off a chain reaction of most of the Western teams clinching last night.
The Red Wings hold down the 4th spot in the West with 103 points. The Red Wings have their work cut out for them if they're going to take top spot in the West. In Nashville on Thursday, home to Dallas on Friday and then away to Columbus on Sunday to round out the week. Chris Osgood (Box 12) will likely be pinned to play either Nashville or Dallas to rest Dominik Hasek (Box 6), but for all intensive purposes, they are in.
With their win against Phoenix last night, they earned enough points to clinch their spot last night as well. The Stars are sitting in fifth spot at the moment with 98 points, tied with both San Jose and Minnesota, but earn the tie-breaker of least games played... the Stars having one game in hand on both the Sharks and Wild. It's nearly impossible to pick and choose first round opponents at this point, with all the points being so close. The Stars don't have it so easy either... the Red Wings on Friday and the Predators on Saturday. It could go horribly wrong or jubilantly right this week for Dallas.
The Sharks leapt into 6th spot in the West after a win against the Kings last night, which also clinched their spot with 98 points. The Avalanche can only currently get 97 points, maximum, so the Sharks are now in. With Joe Thornton (Box 2) and Jonathon Cheechoo (Box 3, pictured) on a major hot streak at the moment, it would be hard not to think that they could jump a few more places and possibly even get some form of home-ice advantage. The Sharks don't play again until Friday, when they host the Coyotes *cough*win*cough* and then they play host to the Kings on Sunday *cough*win*cough*. With four potential points like that, they could find themselves in the thick of it all and have some serious consideration through the last week of the season.
Craving their first division title ever, the Minnesota Wild have a little bit of work ahead of them, but at least they're definitely in the playoffs. The shootout loss to Calgary was enough to get themselves the 98-point cushion to secure their spot last night, so now it's time to pounce on the Canucks. On Thursday, they'll finish their two-game home series with the Flames and then will be off to Denver on Saturday to try and help the Flames clinch their spot when they play the Avalanche. It's the ol' "Hinder & Help" routine... gotta love it.
On the outside looking in:
 |  |
| Thursday @ MIN | Thursday @ PHO |
| Saturday @ VAN | Saturday vs. MIN |
| Apr. 3rd in Calgary | |
| Apr.5th @ SAN | Apr. 5th @ VAN |
| Apr. 7 vs. EDM | Apr. 7th vs. NAS |
| Apr. 8th in Colorado | |
Right now, the Flames magic number to clinch their playoff spot is 3. Any combination of 3 Calgary wins or Colorado losses and the Flames are in the playoffs. So, in essence, the Flames could be in the playoffs by Saturday. If so, then the two meetings next week, will all be for not.
Technorati Tags
NHL, Hockey Pool, Injuries, Trades, Scores, Hockey
Go to the Hockey Pool standings Page
No comments:
Post a Comment