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The Official Hurricanes Playoff Position Tracker

Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Winnipeg is going to be full bore for that Canadiens game after choking away that in that Islanders' game.

The Canes are going go into that Philly game full bore as well. I trust this team and their leadership. After those two losses to WSH, they're going to have to start on time and play hard throughout. Once again, the Canes are in control of their fate and can't look over their shoulders.
 
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Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Honestly, playing a couple in a row against a team playing as well as Washington is right now is pretty good prep for the weekend ... with two opponents who are all over the place. The Flyers have been up and down and generally all over the place over the last few weeks. They're pretty much the last walking dead team in the East ... still dangerous but not sure what the point is anymore. Pittsburgh has won three in a row since that SO loss in Raleigh, but two of them were dogfights and their last W came against a Rangers team that packed it in a while ago. They get another slugfest in Nashville tonight before seeing the Canes on Sunday. I don't mind either of those matchups if Carolina can keep from being emotionally hung over from these two Ls.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

My math may be bad as this is based off a quick glance, but Carolina realistically needs to go at least 3-2 over the last 5 games to have a pretty good shot at getting in. That means Montreal would have to close out 3-0-1 in their last 4 and both teams would finish with same point total with Carolina getting the edge in tiebreaker. I don't see Montreal going 4-0 to close out season.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Montreal has one less game than Carolina, and thus can accumulate a maximum of 8 points. Carolina has a one point lead on them and hold the first tie break, so the Canes need 7 points out of their last 5 games even if Montreal wins out ... which I think is unlikely seeing as how they play two Cup contenders, the defending champs and their hated rival in those four games. Carolina is PROBABLY safe if they win 3 out of the last 5. Key word being probably. Win 4 out of 5 and they're in.

One game at a time though .... each is a unique challenge and Carolina's margins are razor thin since they don't really out-talent anybody. Maybe the most encouraging thing about that loss to Washington on Thursday was seeing Aho moving around out there with something approximating his old zip. That's by far the most sprightly he's looked since that collision with Nino last week.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Saturday update

Big weekend for the playoff picture. The standings for the contenders are the same as yesterday except the Pens lost in Nashville, which adds to their games played column. I'm keeping in the mix on this thread until they have a bigger points gap than the number of remaining games.

Standings as of 3/30 am

Metro 3 - Pens 95 points, 78 games played
+++++++
Wildcard 1 - Canes 91/77
Wildcard 2 - Blue Jackets 90/77

Chase 1 - Montreal 90/78

Today the Canes host the Flyers, the Habs are in Winnipeg and Columbus is in Nashville. Carolina needs to win more than they need to scoreboard watch, having dropped 2 in a row. Montreal is reeling a bit after losing the showdown with Columbus and the Jackets are heading to Nashville for a MUST win. Big, big day.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

The Canes' best case scenario today obviously is the trifecta of beating the Flyers and having the Jets and Predators win in regulation.

The Flyers' best case scenario is the same, except obviously they need to beat the Canes.

The Canes' worst case scenario will officially eliminate the Flyers due to ROW.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Canadiens - Jets is the free game today (right now) on the NHL app and NHL.com if anyone else without Center Ice wants to actively root for best case scenario.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Jets and Preds proving incapable...
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

The games aren't exactly meaningless for them, either. While the Jets have a game in hand on the Preds for the Division lead, they're currently tied in points...

Actually, things are tight enough out west that the Central Division winner could face St. Louis, Dallas or Colorado, while C2 could face... St. Louis, Dallas, or Colorado.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

cmaleski2 said:
Jets and Preds proving incapable...
Click to expand...

That was a lifeless effort by both the Jets and Preds tonight, just weird shit all around this time of year. Nothing ever comes easy for the Canes it seems, this is maddening to watch play out.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Remember ... fans of the Habs and Jackets feel the same way about Carolina; frustrated that the Canes just won't dry up and blow away. This is better IMO. An awesome playoff race will make what is likely a short playoff journey for the 2 of these 3 that will qualify a bit easier to tolerate.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Sunday Update ... e'rybody won.


Standings as of 3/31 am

Metro 3 - Pens 95 points, 78 games played
+++++++
Wildcard 1 - Canes 93/78
Wildcard 2 - Blue Jackets 92/78

Chase 1 - Montreal 92/79

4 games left for Carolina and Columbus, 3 for Montreal. Carolina plays in Pittsburgh today, while the Blue Jackets play in Buffalo ... so after today everybody's even in games played. Philly joined the ranks of the spring golfers yesterday, while the Islanders clinched a post season berth. That sets 99 points as the magic number in the East, by the way. 3 wins out of their 4 remaining games and the Canes are in regardless of what else happens.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Nice to control your own destiny, futile (just to keep on subject) or not.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Only time I ever say this.... let’s go buff-a-lo
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Monday Mop-Up

Yeah ... Buffalo managed to finish out March without a single regulation time win in the whole month. Congrats on THAT. Carolina barfed up a hairball in Pittsburgh yesterday while Columbus walked the dog on the Sabres. Hello worst case scenario. Carolina slips back into W2 while Columbus climbs to W1 and Pittsburgh slips out to a better than one game lead on the wildcards again. Everybody is even on games played, which simplifies the math a bit.


Standings as of 4/1 am

Metro 3 - Pens 97 points, 79 games played
+++++++
Wildcard 1 - Blue Jackets 94/79
Wildcard 2 - Hurricanes 93/79

Chase 1 - Montreal 92/79

None of this lot play on Monday night, so everybody gets a chance to catch their breath. Tuesday sees the Canes in Toronto, the Blue Jackets hosting the Bruins and the Canadiens hosting the Lightning. Most of the stats sites still say Carolina has better than an 80% shot at a playoff slot, no matter how it actually feels here in Raleigh this morning. Onward and upward boys.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

April 1 AM

M1 WAS (102) @FLA, MTL, NYI (3-0-0 = 108)
M2 NYI (99) TOR, @FLA, @WAS (1-2-0 = 101)
M3 PIT (97) @DET, DET, NYR (3-0-0 = 103)

W1 CLB (94) BOS, @NYR, @OTT (2-1-0 = 98)
W2 CAR (93) @TOR, NJD, @PHI (2-1-0 = 97)
------------------------------------------------------
MTL (92) TBL, @WAS, TOR (0-3-0 = 92)


WAS plays @FLA and NYI plays @TOR tonight, so hopefully the Islanders soften up the Leaves for us. Then we're going to need to win out or get some help from the Rags or Sens to not face Tampa.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

For the record, Toronto has been in free fall since early March. They've lost 8 out of 12 games since March 6th, and really don't need any softening up. Carolina just needs to shake off Sunday's result, go in there and take that game by the scruff of the neck.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Toronto has Dermott back on D and Gardiner nearing a return this week, they need to improve their play before the playoffs to get their heads right, Tuesday is a tough road game for the Canes...you would think Tampa could handle Montreal but who knows...Hedman was hurt over the weekend and Tampa has nothing left to play for.
 
Re: The Official Hurricanes Futility Thread and Playoff Position Tracker

Yeah ... at this point, I think the Hurricanes are all out of motivational tricks and any other supplemental help. Montreal and Columbus are fully dialed in and unlikely to help them either. From here out, they're just going to have to strap up and do this the old fashioned way ... by playing better hockey than the other guys in these remaining three games.
 
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