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What a great game and a huge win! Sadly, the best CBJ team right now is the one without JJ and Dubi in the lineup. I am sure sometime soon they draw back in, but right now they are in the place they should be, especially if they are both suffering from nagging injuries (which I suspect is the case and Coach Tortorella did everything but say that after the game last night).
As I do the standing/prediction stuff, NJ is up 3-1 on PIT, a huge win if they can pull it off, and it changes a lot in the race. So I will assume that lead stands up, and will change things later if it does not.
I think everyone got reminded how fine a line it is between good and bad teams in the NHL NJ plays its backup, beats the Pens, gets some space between them and FLA, and let's the CBJ and PHI believe they have a shot at 2nd in the division.
After last might making predictions is almost a fool's errand, but here goes:
CBJ:
STL, @EDM, @CAL, @VAN, DET, PIT, @NHS (predict/hope 12 points if a miracle happens out West, and they can split their last two games. A game against St. Louis who is on the 2nd game of a back-to-back tomorrow is a monster game both teams have to win. If i was a betting man I'd say 8, but I can have a PMA on this one after that FLA game).
PHI:
@PIT, @DAL, @COL, BOS, @NYI, CAR, NYR (predict 8 points, thinking they will split 2 games with NYR and split WC road trip. suddenly that PIT game Sunday just got real big).
PIT:
PHI, @DET, @NJD, WSH, @CBJ, OTT (blowing the game in NJ is a brutal one for them, and PHL and CBJ, but they are the 2 time cup champs. Predict 10 points, would be nice if they beat NJ once and PHI once. Be great to have PIT/CBJ tilt in game 81 with at least home ice on the line. WAS, PHI, or the CBJ will beat them, the question is who will).
NJ:
TBL, CAR, PIT, NYI, @MTL, NYR, TOR, @WSH (predict 8 more points, if they can
take one from a team with more points than them, like PIT at home. Struggle in goal may doom this team, along with brutal end of season schedule. Beating PIT on the road saved their season for now).
FLA:
ARI, @NYI, @TOR, @OTT, @BOS, CAR, NSH, BOS, BUF, @BOS
(Predict 12 points, which they get if the beat all the teams with fewer points than they have. However, @TOR and @OTT is a back to back, @BOS CAR and NSH is 3 games in 4 days with CAR and NSH the back to back, Then they finish with BUF and @BOS in a back to back. Needless to say there are plenty of minefields in that finishing schedule. If they get in they will earn it the hard way.)
Standings:
PIT: 89 (ROW over everyone)
CBJ: 89 (and with tiebreak over PHI)
PHI: 88 (and no ROW tiebreak over CBJ)
NJD: 84 +1 game in hand
FLA: 81 +3 games in hand.
PIT plays three more games against Metro teams chasing them. If by some miracle someone can do to them what NJ did, this race gets real interesting. PHI and PIT have a massive game Sunday, there ought to be a lot of CBJ fans watching that one.
PHI and CBJ can beat them, then 2nd in the division is up for grabs too.
Current guess finish:
CBJ: 101 (2nd in division, all depends on the next five games, they need to win on Sat.)
PIT: 99 (3rd in division, they are healthy except for G with a fairly easy schedule to finish and all tiebreakers unless they completely blow up, CBJ has to really win out to catch them)
PHI: 96 (1st Wild card)
FLA: 93 (2nd Wild Card, but there are no guarantees with that finishing schedule.)
NJD: 92 (Out, still a great season for them)
Could easily change by Palm Sunday morning, I hope CBJ can string four or five more wins together! |
