We’re going to have a very busy time the rest of the week, but if you’re interested in watching a different team in red try to help Detroit’s playoff chances, you’ve got one option for tonight.
- You can just see the NHL schedulemakers arguing over whether to leave today entirely blank or to throw at least a few matchups out there against the NCAAA Championship game (good job on finishing March Madness a full week after the month ends, guys). Even funnier is the thought that they put Anaheim/Vancouver in there as the “important” game for playoff consideration and it turned out to likely be the least important game of the night.
- New Jersey has the easiest remaining schedule of the playoff chasing teams and the Flames are bad. The Devils have something to play for and their next three opponents don’t (their fourth opponent, the Bruins probably will only be playing on Sunday to get the regular season over with so they can start the playoffs). Even more-damning is that the Flames and Islanders are tied for points right now. The winner of that race will end up winning themselves a lower chance in the draft lottery and a lower guaranteed pick in subsequent rounds. Calgary not only has no reason to win this game, but they have a good reason to ACTIVELY WANT TO LOSE.
- Whatever. Show some pride, Flames.
- Two points for the Wild today locks them into no worse than a tie with 9th place Phoenix at the end of the regular season. They currently sit on a 3 ROW advantage and have the secondary tiebreaker against them in case PHX wins all four remaining games without needing a shootout and MIN loses the three they have left after tonight without earning a single point.
- Vancouver is six points back of a playoff spot with four to play. Anaheim is using their game in hand tonight trying to extend their one-point lead over San Jose for tops in the Pacific Division. This one’s a tough call for rooting interest because I really REALLY want the Canucks to miss the playoffs, but it would also be hilarious for the Ducks to collapse out of the top division spot as part of their annual late collapse.
It’s an open thread. Let’s have some fun.
