Monday, March 17, 2008

 

Northwest Passage, St. Patrick's Day Edition

Oilers against the NW
March 13th: @ Avalanche
March 20th: vs.Canucks
March 22nd: vs. Avalanche
March 24th: vs. Wild
March 26th: @ Wild
March 28th: @ Avalanche
March 29th: @ Flames
April 1st: vs. Flames
April 3rd: @ Canucks

Flames against the NW
March 20th: vs. Avalanche
March 22nd: vs. Wild
March 24th: @ Avalanche
March 25th: vs. Canucks
March 29th: vs. Oilers
March 30th: @ Canucks
April 1st: @ Oilers
April 3rd: @ Wild
April 5th: @ Canucks


• Starting Thursday, the Flames and Oilers play all their remaining games against the Northwest Division.

• As of right now, Minnesota, Calgary and Colorado all have 84 points. Vancouver has 82. If the season ended tonight, all four teams would be in the playoffs.

• While not mathematically eliminated, I don't think the Oilers have any chance of making the playoffs this year. They've been playing fun, reckless hockey, but I just don't think they can sustain it over the next two weeks. I'd be happy to be wrong, of course, but it's going to take a major tank job by one of the other four Northwest teams (cough, Canucks) and nothing but regulation wins for the Oilers to get in. My prediction: tons of overtime points shared between the Northwest teams, and no chance of moving up the standings.

• For those keeping the faith--and I applaud your optimism--here's Sacamano's playoff predictor. Have fun!

• It won't be the same without Matt Cooke around to commit flagrant fouls, but that game against the Canucks on Thursday should be a good one. Oh well, Ryan Kesler is still there. Maybe he can latch his thighs around someone's foot again, and then whine about getting picked on in the post-game. He's like that damn Francis kid in Pee Wee's Big Adventure, calling for help after he's stolen Pee Wee's bike. Good to see the NHL's encouraging behavior we wouldn't tolerate from our six-year olds.


Anyway, happy Saint Patrick's Day, everyone. GO SPOILERS!!!

Comments:

I, also, dismiss the Oilers making the playoffs.

That said, 8-2 in the last 10 and a bunch of mediocre streaks above us make me wonder if I'm not being dismissive just to avoid jinxing this team's turning into the Detroit Red Wings circa 1994 now that elimination's all-but-certain.

I mean certain. Really. (cough)
 


Exactly two of those wins came in regulation. Even if that streak continues, they'll be giving points to the guys they are chasing. It just ain't gonna happen.
 


Oh ye of little faith :)

Yeah its not going to happen but its not stopping me from cheering for Phoenix tonight. Really it is the next four days that determines it. Yotes win in regulation tonight, Oilers win in regulation tonight and Thursday and they are a point behind the Canucks.

Then Phoenix and Nashville fall apart and the Oilers out point the Nucks down the stretch.

Or Canucks win tonight and its over.

Whatever - this team has been a lot of fun the last few months. Compared to last season's disaster especially.

They could be the Leafs - talk about a joke.
 


Exactly two of those wins came in regulation. Even if that streak continues, they'll be giving points to the guys they are chasing. It just ain't gonna happen.

keeping praying to the saint and who knows what could happen...

i think we're out of it but my wife is predicting a first round victory over the wings. now that takes some serious gumption! man i love that girl.
 


Psh.

TOPPEP > Logic.

We can beat every in OT and the SO besides Vancouver.

What's the problem!?

It's not like a team from Vancouver can actually win at all anyway.
 


If Kesler is Francis, does that mean the NHL disciplin hearings go something like this?

Is this something you can share with the rest of us, Amazing Brian?
 


Is this something you can share with the rest of us, Amazing Brian?

One of my favorite lines of all time, though I think it's "Larry.: :)

i think we're out of it but my wife is predicting a first round victory over the wings.

Oh God. Imagine the fawning over Lowe and MacT if that happens. I feel ill.
 


The difference between the NW and the Central division right now is astounding. In the former, every game is important, whether or not you give the spOilers any hope. In the Central, with Detroit already having clinched the 'y', only the Nashville games have any interest at all, and even they are likely to be overshadowed by the teams they are chasing.

Kudos to nhl.com for being on the ball with standings updates. Early in the season, I had to wait until the wee hours of the morning to see updates. Now they already have the Minnesota results tallied even though we're still waiting for games to finish. I can understand waiting longer for player profiles to get updated, since stats need to be verified and doublechecked, but the standings are never in question.
 


They could be the Leafs - talk about a joke.

I don't know. We're getting awfully close to sounding like Leafs fans. All the points count, but this team's shootout record hides some terrible flaws. We shouldn't be getting our hopes up too much here.


Now they already have the Minnesota results tallied even though we're still waiting for games to finish.

Ya, that's why I've always used Yahoo!. They are up-to-date immediately. The moment I posted this baby I was behind on things. Minny now has 86 points, after a 3-1 win over the Avs.
 



One of my favorite lines of all time, though I think it's "Larry.: :)


In my imaginary Pee Wee meets Colin Campbell world, it's Brian getting yelled at.
 


Gotcha. Me dumb. :)
 


Oh God. Imagine the fawning over Lowe and MacT if that happens. I feel ill.

I know this was likely a joke, but if this team makes the playoffs and wins a round, MacT deserves a fucking Nobel Prize. And Lowe will have earned the free pass he's already received for the Pronger and Souray mistakes, because he clearly sold his soul to the devil (and I believe that kind of dedication should be rewarded).
 


Completely agree that Kesler needs some serious bitch slappin'. If he wants to play the aggravating role, he should have to back it up.
 


Did you guys not see him fight Jackman a few Sat nights ago? He even took off his helmet at Barrets request! Anyways, Kesler has 20 goals, is a superb shutdown guy and has speed to burn. If an Oiler, you would worship him :)
 


Naw Andy, believe you me.

I know the Oilers are a long ways from being out of the woods but the Leafs have nothing in the way of prospects, very few decent young players and a pile of ugly contracts.

Its going to take a while to clean up this mess.
 


Oh well, Ryan Kesler is still there. Maybe he can latch his thighs around someone's foot again, and then whine about getting picked on in the post-game.

By "picked on" you meant "stepped on," yes? Sticking up for Pronger? Honestly.
 


I don't remember sticking up for Pronger. Could you point out where I did that? I don't care for either of them. They both should have been suspended, in my opinion. Kesler should have gotten a game or two for his little stunt.
 

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