Wild Card Race (Western Conference) - Page 83 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

azzarish · 03-30-2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AC

If we can win one of the games vs Dallas and St Louis I really like our chances.

3 points would be amazing, 4 would be a miracle.

If we can win tonight we'd up to 91 points. After that, if we can get 5 points from the Phx/Edm/LA/Wpg games I think we'd get in personally. I think we can accomplish that from those 4 games.

Anything against the Blues is a bonus.

So, tonight is a huge night.

puckedoff · 03-30-2015, 09:57 AM

Its just sad that the Wildcard spots are there to give weak teams like Chicago and LA a chance to make the playoffs. Wish the NHL didn't have to pander to these large-market non-hockey cities.

polak · 03-30-2015, 09:57 AM

Don't look now but the Kings are closing the ROW gap. Definitely think WPG is our better shot.

These next 2 weeks are going to be worse on my heart than a weekend in Vegas.

mrkajz44 · 03-30-2015, 09:58 AM

I still think its 96 points to get in, regardless of the OOT. Big night tonight for sure, but not do-or-die just yet.

Street Pharmacist · 03-30-2015, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polak

Don't look now but the Kings are closing the ROW gap. Definitely think WPG is our better shot.

These next 2 weeks are going to be worse on my heart than a weekend in Vegas.

LA only has two playoff teams left after tonight too: Vancouver and Calgary. They have the oilers twice plus San Jose and Colorado. They are likely not our target IMO

heep223 · 03-30-2015, 10:00 AM

I still think Vancouver is going to collapse.

Also - noticed today that the Flames have almost double the goal differential of the next best team in the Pacific. Only LA has allowed fewer goals and only Anaheim has scored more goals.

hwy19man · 03-30-2015, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

We're really chasing Winnipeg, because leading LA is a mirage. While Calgary still has some tough outs, LA plays EDM twice and ARI once. Plus San Jose

That is one easy schedule for a team playing as well as they have been

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itse

That's not right, they don't play Arizona. They play Edmonton twice.
We play Edmonton and Arizona.

The season series between SJ and LA will come to the last game, and SJ having nothing else left to play for will be sure to come out hard in that game.

Vancouver is still in the battle for their playoff lives.
Colorado has just been hot lately.
And Chicago obviously is a good team that has proven they can beat LA even at LA's best.

Itse is correct and the Flames are really chasing the Canucks. The Canucks also have a difficult road trip that they are about to embark on.

Enoch Root · 03-30-2015, 04:14 PM

It really doesn't matter which teams are 'better' or more experienced, or have the easier schedule.

There are only a handful of games left. Anything can happen over a short stretch. For every team.

So yes, we are fighting against LA. And Winnipeg. And Vancouver.

We need to finish ahead of (at least) one of them. And though we may have preferences, it doesn't really matter which.

Street Pharmacist · 03-30-2015, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It really doesn't matter which teams are 'better' or more experienced, or have the easier schedule.

There are only a handful of games left. Anything can happen over a short stretch. For every team.

So yes, we are fighting against LA. And Winnipeg. And Vancouver.

We need to finish ahead of (at least) one of them. And though we may have preferences, it doesn't really matter which.

True, but trying to read the crystal ball is half the fun

MotoRacer · 03-30-2015, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwy19man

Itse is correct and the Flames are really chasing the Canucks. The Canucks also have a difficult road trip that they are about to embark on.

Van is currently 95% to make the playoffs

CorsiHockeyLeague · 03-30-2015, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heep223

I still think Vancouver is going to collapse

It's possible but three teams would need to pass them in 6-7 games. In other words, they would not only have to play terribly, but the Flames, Kings and Jets would all have to play better.

I just looked at the upcoming 5 game sched for all the teams in the race and Vancouver's is brutal - they truly might only end up with, say, 3 of 10 possible points. But even if they do they'll have 94 points and two games against Arizona and Edmonton to close out the season.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg's schedule is almost equally bad (NYR/VAN/@MIN/@STL/@COL/CGY). I'd probably bet on the Jets to not get two more points in its final 6 games than Vancouver does in its remaining 7, which they'd have to do to knock the Canucks out.

EDIT: To put it another way, let's say the Jets go 4-2, which is the best they can reasonably be expected to do there I'd say. That's 8 points. If the Canucks are going to beat ARI and EDM (a decent bet), they only need 3 points on this road trip to get in. Better to hope for a Jets collapse.

White Out 403 · 03-30-2015, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

EDIT: To put it another way, let's say the Jets go 4-2, which is the best they can reasonably be expected to do there I'd say. That's 8 points. If the Canucks are going to beat ARI and EDM (a decent bet), they only need two points on this road trip to get in. Better to hope for a Jets collapse.

CorsiHockeyLeague · 03-30-2015, 04:36 PM

Hey, they could both make it, but that just means the Flames or Kings miss, obviously. I'm just saying it's pretty unlikely that the Jets get in at VAN's expense.

I think everyone's hoping the Kings miss. I sure am. I'm just not very optimistic about it.

bizaro86 · 03-30-2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polak

Don't look now but the Kings are closing the ROW gap. Definitely think WPG is our better shot.

These next 2 weeks are going to be worse on my heart than a weekend in Vegas.

Right now the flames have a 2 lead in ROW. Plus they clinched the season series vs the Kings already, so the Kings would need 3 more ROW than the flames to take the tiebreaker and they only have 7 games left. Imo if they beat us by 3 row, they'll almost certainly pass us in the standings.

White Out 403 · 03-30-2015, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Hey, they could both make it, but that just means the Flames or Kings miss, obviously. I'm just saying it's pretty unlikely that the Jets get in at VAN's expense.

I think everyone's hoping the Kings miss. I sure am. I'm just not very optimistic about it.

I dont think the playoffs could get any more awesome if there was a Canucks/Flames round 1 and Jets/Ducks round 1. I'd be totally fine with that.

sureLoss · 03-30-2015, 09:25 PM

@lakingsinsider: Dean Lombardi said Sekera has lower-body injury and more will be known tomorrow. More evaluation needed.

troutman · 03-30-2015, 09:56 PM

I like Mondays.

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western.html

Looking like 96 points will do it.

polak · 03-30-2015, 10:00 PM

Huge two points there. I'm pumped for St. Louis.

We win that and we can hopefully start to build a bit of breathing room.

heep223 · 03-30-2015, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polak

Huge two points there. I'm pumped for St. Louis.

We win that and we can hopefully start to build a bit of breathing room.

And Edm, Ari after that. Then 2 games against the teams we're battling with....Flames are truly in control of their own destiny.

Though, tbf, St Louis is pretty much an auto-loss lately.

Mattman · 03-30-2015, 10:41 PM

I like the poll on NHL.com right now

Will the Los Angeles Kings qualify for the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Yes- 43%

No- 57%

Everyone hates you LA!!! Have fun in 9th place!!