Wild Card Race (Western Conference)

[browna]

St. L is a bonus game IMO after these last two and LA stumbling. Plus the Flames get some rest before then.

Flames will be up for the 2 home games, and Winnipeg if required;the game to be most concerned about coming out flat, is the disgraceful Oilers.

Lowe may fire Nelson just so he can step behind the bench, so he and his massive ego can claim potential conqurance over the Flames and brag for years about keeping them out of the playoffs. That will be the Oilers biggest game of maybe the last two years or more.

[Eric Vail]

Maybe St. Louis will help us out because it would go a long way to eliminating the Kings who they don't want to see in the playoffs.

[Caged Great]

Plus you have to figure that St. Louis doesn't want any part of Minnesota and would likely rather have to face Chicago so they would be better off not catching the Predators. I'm sure any of the top 5 teams (STL, ANA, CHI, MIN, and NAS) would prefer not having to face the Kings in the 2nd or 3rd rounds so they would probably go easier on those they're competing with like us, and try like hell to beat them (Chicago tonight).

We've seen the rope a dope move by LA twice in the last 3 years. Better to have them gone entirely before it even begins.

[White Out 403]

I really hope Edmonton can do us both a favour.

[YogiBerra]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

I really hope Edmonton can do us both a favour.

Hopefully Yakupov feels like another slide down the ice they can celebrate working their way towards 4th last.

[Magnum PEI]

LA's schedule is ridiculosuly easy and they could very well run the table. We probably have to go 4-1 to finish ahead of them.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

LA's schedule is ridiculosuly easy and they could very well run the table. We probably have to go 4-1 to finish ahead of them.

True, which is why we just need to ensure we stay tight so we can leave it up to our head to head.

On the other hand, Winnipeg has a tough go of it, and Vancouver's isn't a cake walk either IMO, so let's not count them out as an option to displace.

[hwy19man]

After Monday's games:


St. Louis (46-23-7) 37 ROW, 99 pts--second in the Central Division
Chicago (46-24-6) 37 ROW, 98 pts--third in the Central Divsion
1. Minnesota (44-25-7) 40 ROW, 95 pts--fourth in the Central Division

Vancouver (44-27-5) 40 ROW, 93 pts--second in the Pacific Division
Calgary (42-28-7) 38 ROW, 91 pts--third in the Pacific Division
2. Winnipeg (39-25-12) 32 ROW, 90 pts--fifth in the Central Division

3. Los Angeles (37-25-14) 35 ROW, 88 pts--and fourth in the Pacific Division
4. Dallas (37-30-10) 33 ROW, 84 pts
5. San Jose (37-30-9) 33 ROW, 83 pts--and fifth in the Pacific Division
6. Colorado (35-29-12) 26 ROW, 82 pts

Canucks, Flames, and Blackhawks won in regulation
Blues, Stars, and Kings lost in regulation

______________________________________



Eastern conference playoff race


Pittsburgh (42-23-11) 38 ROW, 95 pts
Islanders (45-27-5) 38 ROW, 95 pts
Detroit (40-23-12) 37 ROW, 92 pts--third in the Atlantic Division
1. Washington (41-25-10) 37 ROW, 92 pts
2. Boston (38-25-13) 35 ROW, 89 pts--and fourth in the Atlantic Division
3. Ottawa (37-26-12) 32 ROW, 86 pts--and fifth in the Atlantic Division
4. Florida (35-26-15) 27 ROW, 85 pts

No changes as none of the abouve teams played

[stemit14]

Come on flames! Finish this road trip with wins in both St. Louis and Edmonton. It would be much healthier for all of us if our hearts don't have to go through this stress all the way to the final game against Winnipeg. Don't get me wrong... We're happy to sacrifice the years off our lives we're no doubt losing from these tense games if it means playoffs. But beating St. Louis, Edmonton, and Arizona would help us rest easier going into the last two games of the year.

[calgarywinning]

They will prove what they will be in the playoffs if they make it.

If they can't do it that is fine, but if they keep pressing watch out!

[jg13]

current:

[Itse]

We win 2, LA loses 2. Playoffs odds at 84%.

What a turn, again.

[expatflame]

Flames back in the driver seat. Unfortunately, LA has 3 automatic wins whereas the Flames have 2 and it might come down to that game against LA for playoff position. I actually see Winnipeg falling out with their tough schedule.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Maybe St. Louis will help us out because it would go a long way to eliminating the Kings who they don't want to see in the playoffs.

Could be some truth to that.
You rest a guy or two, a few nagging injuries, etc.
Regardless, the Flames will take the game and rip it from them, but any little edge is good right now.

[Tsawwassen]

It would be hilarious to see the Blues fall into a wildcard spot.

[Itse]

Btw, both Edmonton and Arizona win about 30% of their games, so they're easy points, but not automatic.

They have a combined 6 games left against teams in the playoff race. (LA gets Edmonton twice, Flames and Canucks both play Edmonton once and Coyotes once.)

Probably at least one of those games is a win for the bottom feeder. The Flames need to make sure it doesn't happen against them.

[sureLoss]

[bomber317]

here's the Last 10 Games' points percentage of the remaining opponents. Updated after the games last night.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

It's all about the last 2 games now, I think.

We win those last 2, and 95-96 should get us in for sure.

We lose the last 2, then we might miss at 96 or 97.

[Resolute 14]

Beat Arizona, beat Edmonton (far easier said than done), and win one or the other (in regulation) between Winnipeg/LA. Again, easier said than done.

Knowing the Blues, they will dominate us again after choking like mad against all of our opposition.