Last Man Standing
March 31st, 2010, 9:34 am
This movie sucks!
Although the Sharks didn’t play, last night was a great night for San Jose. The Hawks lost, 5 points behind with only one game in hand. The Coyotes lost, Breezy giving up 4 goals on 29 shots. And the Wings won, which in our Convoluted Calculus of Counterparties™ is actually a good thing. As loyal readers and listeners know, I want to avoid the Red Wings in the first round at all costs. Seriously, if it meant the Sharks had to dump the last six games of the season, I might be able to work up an argument for that. But as it happens, it’s not required. The Winged Wheel is on fire. They’ve won six straight, and are 11-1-1 in their last 13 games.
Detroit is now only one point behind Nashville. Given they have three (!) more games against the Blue Jackets and one against Philly (plus one against Nashville), I’d say their chances are very good they end up the five seed. My earlier prediction of the Sharks facing the Wings in the first round is getting dimmer by the day. With Phoenix faltering just a bit, I’m hoping this gives the Sharks an easy path to the #1 seed, hopefully facing the reeling Avs in the first round.
Speaking of reeling, how ’bout them Hawks? Their early season strategy of “who needs a decent goalie? We’ll just give up 20 shots a game and win anyway” isn’t working out so hot lately. Although they still lead the lead in shots allowed with 24.9, they’ve given up more than that in eight out of their last ten. One of the games where they did better than their average, they lost. To Columbus. Niemi got most of those starts, so does this mean they will go back to Huet? I’m sure Coach Q is just thrilled he has such a thoroughbred stable of goaltenders to choose from.
So the Sharks seem to be back in a good position, actually, a great one. They have a bit of competition from below in Phoenix, whose trapping style could easily eat up some teams struggling for motivation late in the season. They have Detroit on a run, destined for a seeding far from the Sharks’ first-round gun-sights. And Chicago’s once-impenetrable armor is now looking like Swiss cheese.
It’s a great opportunity to continue the run tonight against Dallas, who are all but eliminated from postseason play. No Modano means no Shark-killer. I say the win streak continues. Look for the podcast to be posted tonight sometime after the game.
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The only issue I see is that we’re going to be in 1 of 2 post season positions. 1 or 4. If Detroit climbs to 5 that’s horrifying.
Phoenix isn’t far behind us and they’ll get more points before the year is done, we’re fresh out of a 6 game slump but missing Jumbo. While it wasn’t a huge problem against the Avs, who knows what it’ll mean against the Stars or Nucks.
I don’t think Chicago passes us, but Phoenix just might, dropping us to 4 and looking square at Detroit in round 1. I think the final game of the season might just determine who sees that dreaded wheel on opening day of the playoffs.
Phoenix is at 100 points with 5 GR, so if they win out they’d finish at 110.
The Sharks are at 104 and would lose the first tiebreaker (wins) with Phoenix, so that puts their magic number to win the Pacific at 7 points, with 6 GR. Any combination of 3.5 Sharks wins or Coyote losses will do the trick.
Given how streaky the Sharks (and other teams) have been in the last few weeks, definitely not impossible for Phoenix to pull it off. But I feel pretty good that the Sharks hold on to the 1-seed.
Tonight is a good opportunity for the Sharks to put a hammerlock on the division. Phoenix plays in Calgary. Tough place to play anyway, and now it’s against a desperate team.
So 3-2-1 or 2-2-3 they are a lock. I like those odds.
Thanks for abating my fears. I admit to being absolutely terrified of the Wings this year. Easily the scariest team in the west right now.
Even easier… If Sharks win tonight and Phnx loses in reg, it’s pretty much locked. No way Phnx makes up 6pts in 4 games…
My gut says we are going to meet LA in round one. They are silently doing really bad right now and having doubts about Quick. Bernier’s SO last night only aggrivated this. Plus I like Colorado against Chi. They could pull a 7-game upset vs. Chicago, then we’d pull them in round 2 and avoid Chi, Van, and Det until the conf. final. …
I can dream can’t I???
At least Phoenix lost too?
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to continue vomiting after watching Ott score a hat trick.
Phoenix getting back within 2 points would have been the icing on the cake but aside from that not a whole lot to be happy about from last night.
Nabby has not been amazing this year but last night he was flat out hung out to dry. With the exception of a couple of guys the overall play was just appalling. Hopefully Clowe will be back sooner then later, all these injuries popping up now is disturbing. Also Evilducks when you are done vomiting let me know so I can take my turn to vomit as well.
Coture continues to impress and it was nice to Griess play well in releif. Demeres and Wallin looked terrible together.