One day to go before the Predators take the ice for the final sprint of the season. Twenty-three games in forty six days, eleven at home, twelve on the road. Six sets of back-to-backs, including two of them consisting of Central Division teams. Fourteen games against teams currently in playoff position, ten games inside the division. It is a difficult, but not impossible task to make a serious run at the playoffs.
Let’s break it down…
The Predators are currently four points behind Dallas for the last Wild Card slot in the West, unfortunately… there are four other teams vying for that same spot, three of them from the Central, which makes the divisional games left crucial for the Predators. There really is no realistic chance for any team in the Central to catch the lead pack of Colorado, Chicago and St. Louis, so we will focus on the West Wild Card race…
Minnesota – GP = 59. 31-21-7 = 69 points. ROW = 25 – Holds 1st WC Dallas – GP = 58. 27-21-10 = 64 points. ROW = 24 – Hold 2nd WC due to tie break (ROW) Phoenix – GP = 58. 27-21-10 = 64 points. ROW = 23 Vancouver – GP = 60. 27-24-9 = 63 points. ROW = 24 Winnipeg – GP = 60. 28-26-6 = 62 points. ROW = 23 Nashville – GP = 59. 25-24-10 = 60 points. ROW = 24
Unless Minnesota goes on a late season swoon of epic proportions, they should be in, their playoff chances are at 74.7% according to SportsClubStats, the only real way they miss is if they play sub .500 hockey. Dallas helped their cause picking up 14 points in their last ten games, their playoff chances are up to 55.8% and could threaten Minnesota for the top Wild Card slot should the Stars pick up where they left off before the Olympic break.
The Phoenix Coyotes are tied in points and games played with Dallas with identical records only one less ROW (Regulation + Overtime wins). The Coyotes were floating a bit heading into the break, going 4-5-1 in their last ten, their playoff chances stand at 41.3%. Never count out a Dave Tippett coached team.
That brings us to the Vancouver Canucks, the most talented team not in the playoffs right now. The Olympic break came at a perfect time for John Tortorella’s team, halting a seven game losing streak that began during Tortorella’s suspension. This star-crossed franchise is at a cross-roads, their problem is… they have to try and get well against the Blues and Wild in their first two games back, at least the games are at home. Their playoff chances stand at 23.9% but don’t count this team out yet, although the two more games they have played than the teams currently holding the Wild Card spots don’t help them.
Then we talk about the Jets. Winnipeg stands two points out after going on a nice little 6-3-1 run leading up to the Olympic break. They have played 60 games as well, two more than Minnesota and Dallas… which could be an issue. They have a 12.9% chance of making the playoffs and will be in Nashville Saturday afternoon for a critical showdown.
The last contender in the West is the Nashville Predators, really given up for dead at the beginning of 2014, but the team has quietly put together a nice stretch of hockey and finds itself four points back of Dallas with an advantage in the ROW column. Nashville stands with a 3.2% chance of making the playoffs as of this writing, I have begun my annual “Who To Root For… tracking below as there are two games tonight that impact the Preds. Nashville team begins the post-Olympic stretch with five consecutive home games, two of them inside the division. Tampa visits tomorrow, Winnipeg for a Saturday matinee, then Pittsburgh comes to town on Tuesday, followed by St. Louis on Thursday and Columbus on Saturday.
Then it is, without question, the toughest ten days of the 2013-2014 schedule for the Preds. Three consecutive sets of back-to-backs, all involve some travel and five of the six games on the road. The stretch begins on 3/10 with a Monday/Tuesday in Ottawa and Buffalo. Then a Friday/Saturday in Chicago and home against the Blues. Then it’s out to Western Canada for a Vancouver/Edmonton back-to-back before heading to Calgary then finishing the roadie at Chicago. The team closes March with a home game on 3/25 against Colorado, a back-to-back… home against Buffalo and in Dallas before finishing March with a Sunday night game in Smashville against the Washington Capitals.
The road for the Predators is not easy… but it is do-able. For a 98.1% chance of making the playoffs, Nashville needs 96 points… that’s 36 out of a possible 46 points. Three out of every four points available… that’s a pretty tough clip… it all begins tomorrow night at 7pm against the Lightning at Bridgestone Arena.
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Random Notes
- According to multiple media reports, Predators paid attendance is up over last season.
- Pekka Rinne is headed to Milwaukee for a conditioning assignment… next step in the process.
- Four games tonight – 6:30pm starts – Bruins @ Sabres, Red Wings @ Canadiens. 9pm start – Kings @ Avalanche. 9:30pm start – Blues @ Canucks.
- Who to root for/against – A Kings win in regulation and a Blues win in regulation helps the Predators playoff chances the most.
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