Fantasy Hockey - Playoff Race

[Sparrowhawk]

Nope, in a game between the Flames and Canucks it is hard not to cheer for both to lose, as that is impossible I don't bother to watch.

/me

[Asher]

Then why don't you refrain from commenting on the commentary if you don't understand the context.

The Canucks got 5 straight powerplays, including a 4 minute one to start the 3rd period for ridiculous things.

Game is 3-0 Calgary, Hamrlik used his hand to clear the puck out of the zone with 30s left in the 2nd, McGeough called this a Delay of Game penalty? Hamrlik slams the penalty box door shut and gets an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty?

Then there were other ridiculous calls in the third to keep Vancouver on the powerplay. Daniel Sedin comes up from behind Lombardi and trips on Lombardi's stick, when Lombardi isn't even aware Sedin is there...and it's tripping.

Tanguay and a Canuck collide in pursuit of the puck near the boards, and Tanguay gets called for interference?

The whole 3rd period was McGeough being the star of the game with bull**** calls. It was capped off by the hand-goal on a bull**** call with a few minutes left in the game...

[Ninot]

Leafs down 5-2 to the Avery-inspired Rangers.

Clutch hockey

[Asher]

Good thing I picked up Avery.

[Ninot]

Its fun to listen to the play by play. All they are talking about is how this is so bad for the Leafs chances.

[Tingkai]

That was just pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Don't these guys realize they're fighting for a playoff spot?

[Asher]

It's a shame the competition doesn't end tonight.

[Kontiki]

I see McCabe was an impressive -5 tonight

[Asher]

It makes me scream with delight that he'll be in the Leafs lineup for years to come regardless of performance.

[Asher]

The New Jersey Devils have fired coach Claude Julien, according to AP. Details to follow.

https://www.tsn.ca

[Flubber]

6 NY RANGERS 79 41 29 9 91
7 TAMPA BAY 79 43 32 4 90
8 MONTREAL 79 41 32 6 88

9 TORONTO 79 38 30 11 87
10 CAROLINA 79 39 32 8 86
11 NY ISLANDERS 78 36 30 12 84

Rangers
Tue at Isles
Thur v Canadiens
Sat at Pens

The Rangers have almost clinched. Since wins is the first tie-breaker and they hold a 4 point lead on Toronto, they need 1 win in 3 games to clinch. If they beat the Isles Tuesday, that would do the trick

Tampa
Tue v Carolina
Fri v. Florida
Sat at Atlanta

Carolina SHOULD be desperate but have played like crap lately so we will see if they test Tampa hard. A win and an OT/SO loss is enough for Tampa to clinch. They have the most wins of anyone in contention so they win tie-breaks

Montreal
Tue v Boston
Thur at Rangers
Saturday at Toronto

With a one point lead, their position is precarious but much more in their own hands. If they win Saturday over the Leafs and win one of their other two games, they cannot be caught. They do win tie-breaks over everyone behind them.

Toronto
Tue v Flyers
Thur at Islanders
Sat v Canadiens

Simple of the Leafs -- win three straight in regulation and you are in. Otherwise, pray the Canadiens bobble of the one of the other two slump hard


Carolina
Tue at Tampa
Fri v. Atlanta
Sat v. Florida

Still in it but since ONE of the Leafs or Canadiens will get two points in their contest , it gets tougher. IN practical terms they need to win out to really have a chance

Islanders

Tue v Rangers
THur v. Leafs
Saturday at Flyers
Sunday at NJ

Too bad the injury bug hit. This team is in the same boat as Carolina except they lose on tie-break to everyone. They need to win 4 straight and even then could easily miss the playoffs


Summary

Its really on the Habs .. . if they win their Leafs game and one other, they make the playoffs. If they lose in OT/SO to the Leafs but win their other two, they make the playoffs.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher

The New Jersey Devils have fired coach Claude Julien, according to AP. Details to follow.

www.tsn.ca

My initial question is whether this was originally posted on April 1 ??

[Asher]

Nope.

Devils fire Julien in a surprise move

Canadian Press

4/2/2007 1:09:31 PM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CP) - Lou Lamoriello is back behind the bench in New Jersey.

The playoff-bound Devils have fired head coach Claude Julien with less than a week to go in the regular season with the veteran GM Lamoriello taking over for the second straight season.

Lamoriello also stepped behind the bench last season after Larry Robinson stepped down as coach in December.

The surprising move Monday comes with the Devils second in the Eastern Conference with a 47-24-8 record and 102 points. The Devils have won four of their last five games, including Sunday's 3-1 win over Boston. They went 6-6-2 in March while battling key injuries to Brian Gionta, John Madden and Patrik Elias.

Julien, a former Montreal Canadiens coach, took over the Devils on June 13, 2006, after Lamoriello relinquished the coaching duties.



It's reminiscent of the 1999-2000 season when the Devils fired head coach Robbie Ftorek on March 23 and went on to win the Stanley Cup under Robinson that spring.

[Ninot]

I'm shocked. Speechless.

[Asher]

"Bill Watters said on Leafs Lunch this afternoon that players had complained about Julien's tactics in the past few weeks and that this was likely the reason Lamoriello made the move."