Okay. We have four games on the schedule tonight that directly impact the
Eastern Conference playoff race. A couple of them have huge implications for the
Thrashers, so let's take a look.
Tampa Bay (7th, 86 pts) at Carolina (11th, 84 pts)
- Tampa Bay is still on the bubble and is frantically trying to move up.
They can still catch the Thrashers for the Southeast Division title but they
have to outplay the Thrashers by five points. their coach guaranteed they'd
make the postseason, so they have that going for them, right?
- Carolina is also on the bubble and needs a win in a bad way. They're
also still in the race for the Southeast title, but their odds are bad.
Barry Melrose hair bad.
- Desired Outcome: This all depends on what you want the Thrashers
to do this weekend. Do you want to clinch a regular playoff spot or clinch a
division title? If Carolina wins tonight and TB loses tomorrow, and the
Thrashers win tomorrow, and Carolina loses on Sunday, the Thrashers are the
Southeast Division champions. If Carolina loses tonight and gives the
Lightning a win the earliest Atlanta can possible clinch the division is on
Tuesday night, but Atlanta will get a playoff spot f Carolina, Toronto and
the Islanders all lose tonight, Atlanta wins tomorrow, and the Islanders
lose again tomorrow. Personally, I'm pulling for Carolina tonight.
Montreal (8th, 86 pts) at Ottawa (5th, 98 pts)
- Montreal might be in eighth but their position is extremely precarious.
A win can move them as high as sixth for the time being and put pressure on
the rest of the pack.
- Ottawa is red-hot and can climb as high as fourth tonight.
Mathematically they can still catch Buffalo but it's not going to happen.
- Desired Outcome: I've said all along that the Canadiens
scare me as a playoff team just because they've pulled so many upsets.
Longtime readers will remember that I was a Bruins fan years ago. I know
what the Habs can do in the post-season. I'd rather see them lose and miss
out. Of all of the potential first-round opponents (Carolina, Islanders,
Toronto. Montreal, Tampa Bay and the Rangers) Montreal worries me the most.
go Ottawa.
Philadelphia (15th, 53 pts) at New Jersey (4th, 98 pts)
- Philly is done, plain and simple. No news there.
- New Jersey got passed by Pittsburgh and can move back into first in the
Atlantic with a win, bumping the Penguins back down to fourth.
- Desired Outcome: The battle between fourth and fifth is probably
going to be the toughest in the opening round of the playoffs. Who you want
to win this game depends on who you'd like to see play Ottawa. I'm all in
favor of a Penguins/Senators matchup, so go Flyers.
New York Islanders (10th, 84 pts) at Buffalo (1st, 105 pts)
- The Islanders are one of the teams still on the bubble, but they're
limping along without Rick Dipietro. They need a win to keep pace with the
pack.
- Buffalo needs three points to clinch first place in the East.
- Desired Outcome: Go Sabres. I wouldn't mind the Islanders making
it just because they could be an easy first-round opponent, but the sooner
they lose the sooner the Thrashers make the playoffs.
Enjoy your weekend folks. I'll be offline for a good chunk of it (it's moving
weekend) but feel free to fill up the comment section.
