Calgary hits the road for 11 of its next 15 games, if they are going to falter, now will be the time, their schedule is just brutal the next couple weeks.
Road games at Detroit (twice), Ottawa, New Jersey, Dallas and 2 at Denver vs. the Avs. Sandwiched between those road games is a 2 game homestand featuring Detroit. If the Flames come out of these games having faced Detroit three times, Colorado twice and Ottawa and are still in the playoffs they have made believers of me, I just dont expect it, this could be the stretch that kills Calgary's season
Calgary hits the road for 11 of its next 15 games, if they are going to falter, now will be the time, their schedule is just brutal the next couple weeks.
Road games at Detroit (twice), Ottawa, New Jersey, Dallas and 2 at Denver vs. the Avs. Sandwiched between those road games is a 2 game homestand featuring Detroit. If the Flames come out of these games having faced Detroit three times, Colorado twice and Ottawa and are still in the playoffs they have made believers of me, I just dont expect it, this could be the stretch that kills Calgary's season
It's a brutal stretch for sure. As a Flames fan, it's not the fact that they are on the road that concerns me, it's the opponents. Calgary's 5 games over 500 on the road, and the "road" game is more condusive to them. But it's the opponents that are difficult.
This stretch will make it or break it for them. If they can come out of this around 500 (even 2 games under), they'll have a much easier schedule and will still be at a 90 point pace.
Congrats on your Kings BTW. It's amazing what Murray and co. have accomplished with the injuries you guys have sustained. You guys deserve the playoffs, and i hope you get it (not at the expense of teh Flames though )
Congrats on your Kings BTW. It's amazing what Murray and co. have accomplished with the injuries you guys have sustained. You guys deserve the playoffs, and i hope you get it (not at the expense of teh Flames though )
Very nice of you to say! It would be nice to see both the Kings and Flames make it.
Team ........GP..... Pts
Colorado .....58.......78
Detroit........59.......76
San Jose.....59.......72
Vancouver...60.......74
Calgary.......58.......68 Kings........59........65
St. Louis.....58.......64
Dallas.........59.......64
-----------------------
Nashville.....59.......63
Minnesota....59.......57
Edmonton.....59.......56
Anaheim.......59.......55
Phoenix.......58.......55
Columbus.....58........46
Chicago.......58........44
Movement in Standings
Kings from 7th to 6th
Blues from 9th to 7th
Stars from 6th to 8th
Predators from 8th to 9th
Playoff Locks
Colorado
Vancouver
Detroit
Stick a fork in them
Chicago
Columbus
Current Playoff Matchups
#1 Avs vs. #8 Stars
#2 Wings vs. #7 Blues
#3 Sharks vs. #6 Kings
#4 Canucks vs. #5 Flames
Upcoming Important Games
Tuesday
Minnesota (-8) at New Jersey
Wednesday
Dallas (-1) at Kings
Phoenix (-10) at Detroit (+11)
San Jose (+7) at Nashville (-2)
Edmonton (-8) at Colorado (+13)
Columbus (-19) at Anaheim (-10)
I took the Ducks off the stick a fork in them list because they have made a good run and gotten back with the Oilers and Phoenix, but those 3 teams are all skating on thin ice and will need to go on an unreal run to get into the playoffs.
In the other simmilar thread on the topic (now gone) I said that I feel us to have 86 to 89 points by the end of the season. In the last 21 we have won 5 games,(regulation) 1 in OT, had 9 ties and 3 OTL's that gave us points. We have earned an astonishing 22 points (truly a grand effort all things considered) and are in 6th place with 65 points and 23 games remaining. We are due to get back Straka at some point as well as Lubo, Brown, Barney and possibly Miller. Adding those lads will certainly give us a better shot at things but, since we have been told off and on that we will be getting players back from injury all season that haven't come back, I will reckon that we might not see all of them in time to make the playoffs.
Either way I still see us playing the same manner and believe we will still be in a better position to earn another 22 points then much more. We have been playing very well and I don't think that will stop but I also don't see them lads coming back as being enough to make us go on a majour winning streak (winning games, not tying them).
With Straka and Lubo in the line up (MS last game were on 1-10) the ten games prior to his going down to injury we were 0-3-6-1 for 7 points. Before that stretch it looks the same. My point is that I feel that we will go on playing in a simmilar fashion and that we will earn about half of the available points giving us another 22 (or so) points for 88(ish) total. I don't know if that is enough to land a playoff spot or not. It might be.
What I do wonder is this, with all of our ties, lets say that we did earn enough points to make the playoffs, would we be in any position to do any damage? Without that killer instinctive ability to win games I can't see us taking another team with more skill and points out of the playoffs. I see us as a safe, wait for the other team to make a mistake and try and take advantage of them to steal a win kind of team.
We have won 7 of our last 30 games. It is truly a grand statement at how solid our depth players are and how great our overall depth is that we have stayed in the hunt with our injuries. We are missing Ziggy/Allison/Deader/Straka and the thing they all have in common is that they are closers. They score big goals. Getting Straka back will give us another player who does that well and can make the difference but it will have to be different then it were prior to his going down.
If we end with 88 points and make the playoffs, I have to wonder if we have the kind of team that can steal a series or two and make a real run. I believe we are as a fan but question it when i am laying in my bed.
We are now at 65 points going into tonights game against the bj's. We have yet to beat them (7-0-1) and they are on a bit of a roll as well. We are now out of a playoff spot and a win tonight would move us a point behind the surging Stars and even on with Nash for the final spot. Camms is back in the line up and hopefully we will see him on a line with Frolov and Stumpel for some scoring punch.
It is looking like my 86 point prediction is bang on if our recent play is any indicator. If you have a look at the rest of our schedule and who we play and how they are doing versus how we are doing and have done against them, you will see where I drew my conclusions from. I would also add the Ducks,Preds,Stars and Yotes are al starting to pick up their games rather well lately. I see us missing the playoffs again (although I hope as always that I am wrong as usual) but like last year, doing just well enough to miss them by a point of four giving us scant pickings at the draft.
I would argue that if we find that we are not to see Miller back until it is well too late (same for Vis at this point) and we don't make any deals that we would be stupid not to trade off our middle of the roads and send down our "grinders" in favour of giving our lads a go at the ice time. It would give us better pickings in the draft and them some NHL experience as well. Rosa, Aulin (if back, I thought I heard he might be back in March but could be wrong) Lehoux Smithson Rullier etc or maybe even signing Rome and Petiot or doing like we did with Blake by bringing him in after the NCAA is over with Hogeboom or some of them lads for a look would be the route to take for me, if it looks like we might not make the playoffs and that if we did, we wouldn't have any shot at going anywhere.
A four and out first round isn't worth moving to 18th in the draft to me when we have so many solid young lads looking for a shot and the draft falls off (some say) after #14 to a series of would be third and fourth rounders in a good year. Who knows.
how about nashville! sullivan is looking like a great pickup. you could say that chicago and phoenix were both easy wins, but still, it has them playing with confidence and on a roll coming into los angeles. that will be a tough game.
how about nashville! sullivan is looking like a great pickup. you could say that chicago and phoenix were both easy wins, but still, it has them playing with confidence and on a roll coming into los angeles. that will be a tough game.
one of the bigger games in a long time...i for one can't wait...sullivan has like 10 points since coming to nashville...lets see if the kings can do the opposite of being a 'slumpbuster' and shut down sully...but really, nashville is a big and physical team and it'll be an interesting matchup...if i recall correctly, the kings have played pretty well against them so far this season.
one of the bigger games in a long time...i for one can't wait...sullivan has like 10 points since coming to nashville...lets see if the kings can do the opposite of being a 'slumpbuster' and shut down sully...but really, nashville is a big and physical team and it'll be an interesting matchup...if i recall correctly, the kings have played pretty well against them so far this season.
11/19/03: Kings win 3-0
12/11/03: Kings win 4-1
01/13/04: Tie 0-0 (Mason's first NHL shutout)
02/23/04: We will see.
I can't wait for the game, will be hard hitting and lots of shots. Obviously though I hope Sully and Walker continue to kick butt and lead the Preds to a win
11/19/03: Kings win 3-0
12/11/03: Kings win 4-1
01/13/04: Tie 0-0 (Mason's first NHL shutout)
02/23/04: We will see.
I can't wait for the game, will be hard hitting and lots of shots. Obviously though I hope Sully and Walker continue to kick butt and lead the Preds to a win
Would you settle for a loss in OT?? ...We could really use the win...
obviously sullivan isn't going to continue scoring at that pace, but i've been thinking that with that aquisition and the additional firepower that gives them, nashville could have the best chance at a first round upset. i'd love to see them beat colorado or detroit.
obviously sullivan isn't going to continue scoring at that pace, but i've been thinking that with that aquisition and the additional firepower that gives them, nashville could have the best chance at a first round upset. i'd love to see them beat colorado or detroit.
ahhhh...i'd love to see the kings beat colorado or detroit in the first round... :p
I JUST WATCHED THAT! WOO HOO! It is going to take lots of luck and some struggles by the Flames/Blues/Preds/Yotes and Stars for us to sneak in. Losing the Devils isn't the end of the world. This is the second straight loss for the Flames though. Maybe it will start them spiriling down. GO HAWKS!
obviously sullivan isn't going to continue scoring at that pace, but i've been thinking that with that aquisition and the additional firepower that gives them, nashville could have the best chance at a first round upset. i'd love to see them beat colorado or detroit.
The thing with Sully though is even if he's not scoring, he's still giving 100% on the defensive side and PK, and just his play brings up the confidence and play of those around him.
I JUST WATCHED THAT! WOO HOO! It is going to take lots of luck and some struggles by the Flames/Blues/Preds/Yotes and Stars for us to sneak in. Losing the Devils isn't the end of the world. This is the second straight loss for the Flames though. Maybe it will start them spiriling down. GO HAWKS!
The third straight loss for the Flames actually, we need some fire power now, I hope Sutter can find an even $ trade or something to upgrade the offense.
)
Flames lose 3-1
