Imagine the Buffalo Sabres losing to the Carolina Hurricanes tonight to clinch 30th overall in the NHL standings. Their next game will be against Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.
Having clinched the #1 seed in the EichDavid Sweepstakes with their loss to the Canes, the Sabres would be motivated to give their long suffering fans a show in their last home game of this brutally difficult season.
Fast forward to Saturday night when the Sabres will host the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins. Imagine if the Pens lose in Ottawa on Tuesday night and then again at home to the Islanders on Friday night.
The Penguins may have to defeat the Sabres in regulation in order to qualify for the postseason.
Here’s why:
The Pens, Bruins, and Red Wings are all tied right now with 95 points in the Eastern standings. It’s very likely that the Penguins can miss the NHL playoffs due to their late season slump. The Senators trail that schmozzle of teams with 93 points. A Pens loss to the Sens on Tuesday will infuse immediate importance and urgency in their two remaining games vs. the Islanders and Sabres.
The Bruins have three games remaining: Washington, Florida Tampa’ The Red Wings have three games remaining: Carolina twice, and Montreal The Senators have three games remaining: Pittsburgh, NY Rangers, and Philadelphia
I want you to close your eyes and imagine a scenario where the Penguins lose two of their final three games, including the finale in Buffalo on Saturday night. That would suck. I want you to also remember that that the Penguins do NOT have a first round draft choice in the McDavid-Eichel draft.
The Pens traded their 2015 1st round draft pick to Edmonton in January, along with forward Rob Klinkhammer, in exchange for two-way forward David Perron. Perron’s first game in Pittsburgh was on January 3. At that time, the Pens were the top of the Eastern Conference food chain due to their torrid 24-9-5 record.
My, how the nighty Pens have fallen!
The Penguins have lost three straight games and have won only three times in their past 12 games.
In the 93 games since Perron skated his first game in a Pens sweater, Sidney Crosby’s squad has fallen and it can’t get up. The Pens are 18-17-6 since January 3 and are in serious risk of missing the playoffs.
A Pens loss to the Sens on Tuesday night will draw both teams even with 95 points. If they lose to the Senators and Islanders, Saturday’s game against the Sabres will be a must-win game for Sid and the Penguins.
Edmonton Oilers fans are praying to the hockey gods that the Penguins will miss the playoffs because they want nit one, but two NHL Lottery picks in this June’s draft. The Oilers will likely select Boston College D-man Noah Hanifin with the third overall pick in the draft. They are currently seeded 28th in the standings. The Pens’ first round pick will likely be a top 12 pick for the Oilers. Oilers fans are dreaming of a scenario where they win the lottery and land Connor McDavid, too.
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Happy Dyngus Day!
Break out your pussy willows and get to work.
Its time to punctuate this run on sentence known as the Buffalo Sabres season from hell!
The Sabres enter tonight's game with the Hurricanes as the sole owners of the #1 seed in the McEichel standings. Or, 30th place in the NHL standings for those who prefer to not acknowledge the McEichel battle.
Buffalo absconded with sole possession of 30th place in the NHL standings on January 20th. Here we've been, ever since.
This long, strange trip has brought out the worst possible behaviors within the loyal Sabres community.
There have been more cork screw turns and loop-de-loops than the Mind Eraser roller coaster at Darien Lake.
Dramatic mood swings have become the order of the day. Sabres fans have been prone to uncontrollable, impromptu fits of laughter, rage, tears, glee, and depression. One minute up, the next down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.
Stop the world. I want to get off.
I think George Jetson said it best when he said:
"Jane, get me off of this crazy thing!!!!"
At one juncture, it appeared as though the Sabres would cruise to the finish line with a double-digit victory in terms of the EichDavid battle.
On February 17, the Sabres held a prodigious 12 point gap over the Arizona Desert Dogs.
On Saturday April 4, the Sabres were clinging ever so gingerly to a 2 point cushion over the Dogs, who defeated the San Jose Sharks to restore a 4 point lead in the standings.
The tension has been so thick inside the arena and in the community that you can cut it with a knife.
Buffalo didn't earn a point this past weekend. They dropped both of their games to Chicago and the NY Islanders, respectively.
Including tonight's home game with the Hurricanes, the Sabres have just three games remaining in their season. The Sabres enter tonight's game with 52 points and their fans are hoping for three straight losses. The Coyotes currently have 56 points with three game left to play. One more Sabres loss, or a Coyotes win would end all of this madness once and for all.
Frankly, I can't wait until the end of the season. All of the losing over the course of the past two seasons has taken it's toll on the Buffalo fan base. "Losing means winning" has become the new normal. That's enough of.
Please let this be the last day I want you to lose @BuffaloSabres
— Josh Jacyna (@JoshyWaitForItJ) April 6, 2015
@BuffaloSabres please just lose tonight to end this madness!
— Will Pawlik (@Its_Trill_Will) April 6, 2015
It's way overdue for us to turn the page and embark on an fresh, new, exciting ear in Buffalo Sabres hockey history.
We have suffered long enough. Give us more winning and youthful enthusiasm.
The future's so bright we gotta wear shades. First, we must endure, and get through tonight's game with the hated Carolina Hurricanes.
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Look on the bright side Sabres fans.
Al least you have two first round draft choices in the McDavid Draft.
How would you like to be the Pittsburgh Penguins?
If the Pens miss the playoffs, the Edmonton Oilers will have two NHL lottery picks in the June draft.
The Pens traded their 2015 first rounder to the Oil in exchange for forward David Perron in January.
The Pens and Sens will battle head to head for the final wild card spot on Tuesday night.
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In case you missed it, my Easter Sunday homage to the Hurricanes.
Dateline Buffalo, New York:
May 30, 2006
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in OT to force the deciding Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals when center Daniel Briere scored 4:22 into overtime to give the Sabres a 2-1 win in Game 6 at HSBC Arena.
Remember that?
Briere's goal came during Buffalo’s fifth power-play of the game. Carolina tied the game 1-1 when Bret Hedican scored his second goal of the postseason with 3:57 remaining in regulation.
Cam Ward made 29 saves in the game, including 13 in the first period, but suffered the loss. Ryan Miller allowed just one goal on 26 shots to earn the win for the Sabres. J.P. Dumont gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead just 4:56 into the game.
The Sabres lost Game 7. No need for us to relive that brutal experience all over again.
It's still so hard for me to believe that the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup that season.
If Jay McKee or Teppo Numminen were healthy for Game 7, it would have been Buffalo spanking Edmonton in the 2006 Cup Finals.
Ifs and buts, candy and nuts. If all comes true, we all have a Merry Christmas.
Or, in this case a Happy Easter.
To quote my good buddy Art Wander: "Don't get me started!!".
Its been nine seasons since the Canes were handed a winning lottery ticket. Now, its Carolina's turn to hand the Sabres a winning cash for life lottery ticket.
On Monday night, the Sabres can exorcise the demons of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals heart break.
With a victory in Buffalo on Monday night, the Canes can guarantee that the Sabres will finish in the #1 seed in the Connor McDavid Sweepstakes. A Canes win will give the Sabres a one in five chance of selecting McDavid in the April 18 NHL Draft Lottery.
What the #Sabres hope to find in their #Easter basket this year... pic.twitter.com/wIU4LGtonD
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) April 5, 2015Should the Sabres lose McDavid, they will take 100% possession of the second overall pick in the lottery which they will use to select Boston University super centerman Jack Eichel.
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