Let's go Devils, Pens and whoever is playing Carolina.

That's odd. There was a similar play in last night's Sabres/Leafs game (puck clearly in based on the laws of physics, but no actual view of it) and it was called a goal.

With the NHL, does that surprise you? They are so inconsistent with everything from suspensions to replays.

Canes bounce back from a horrid loss in DC with a 6-2 whipping of the Bolts at home tonight (sorry to disappoint the various parties rooting against Carolina... :D ).

So, it comes down to Friday at home against Florida. Win and they clinch the Southeast and the #3 seed. Lose, and they'll need a Washington loss (if they don't lose tomorrow night--and they shouldn't since Tampa's coming to town on a back-to-back) or a bit of help by other teams in the conference against Boston and Philadelphia (even Ottawa?). They got a little bit of that help tonight with the Bruins losing in a shootout and Philly losing outright, which moves them into a tie with Boston and Ottawa at 92 points and Philly one back. However all those teams have a game in hand.

Not feeling comfortable, but feeling a heck of a lot better than I did 24 hours ago.

Penguins wrap up the Atlantic. Sitting at 102 points, they wrap up home ice in the East with either a win Sunday in Philly, or a Habs loss in either of their remaining games.

I have no Youtube at work...but Crosby's 2nd goal last night - PP deflection, reached back and deflects through his own legs-- pretty sweet.

i cant decide if the east is wide open and gonna be a great playoff season, or if every team is completely mediocre, and someone will just "survive" to get killed in the finals.

it certainly isnt like buffalo and ottawa last year...

in other news, the devils are locked into the 4-5 series. now just have to hope the rangers drop to 6th place or lower. come on....bruins, i guess. or philly.

I hope the Devils do the Flyers a favor and rest Marty tomorrow.

They would never do something like that when another team's playoffs are at stake.

and it will be so funnier when they don't.

Please ignore all news bulletins that refer to Marty Broudeur and missing for the next 48 hrs...thank you.

Yay, Jagr is scoring goals again.

The Senators smoked the Leafs last night to stay in the playoff driver's seat. But the big story was Mark Bell destroying Daniel Alfredsson with an open ice hit. Everyone lies about injuries at this time of year, but Bryan Murray indicated Alfredsson could be gone long term.

Sabres fans will enjoy the irony, since the hit was virtually identical to the Neil/Drury incident (except anywhere near as late).

oh my

Any Sabres fan may enjoy this:
http://downgoesbrown.blogspot.com/20...-balanced.html

I was hoping Heatley would go with Tucker...I would have gone back and changed my vote for Lathum taking Heatley as his powerforward!

Heatley probably would have been destroyed. He's Kyle Wellwood-tummy soft. (Of course, Tucker knows that, which is why he makes a big show out of challenging him.)

It was strange watching a scrum that prominently featured Bell and Heatley. Is this a hockey game or a driver's ed video?

I just figured they were trying to hold each other up.

another game where the devils didnt score.

balls.

anger, and balls.

dola

im predicting it now.

devils lose to the rangers in round 1, and score less than a goal a game on average.

I'm I right that the Canes loss means the Caps are the 3 seed?

No, a Caps regulation loss tomorrow gives the Canes the Southeast based on tiebreaker (43 wins to 42 wins).

Not officially, but you can pretty much pencil them in now. They have to just get a point against Florida tomorrow night to win the division.

Carolina did everything but score more goals than Florida tonight. They didn't draw a penalty, had a ridiculous shot advantage, and still lost. It was there for the taking over the last two weeks against divisional opponents they have beaten all year. Instead, they finished the season going 2-3-1 in their final six games, including a shootout and a regulation loss to Washington and losses to Florida and Tampa. In hindsight, it seems fairly obvious the Canes were crashing back to earth after that great stretch coming out of the All Star break. The last several games looked very much like their ugly stretch during the end of 2007 with defensive lapses, problems getting goals, and Ward giving up bad goals. In sum, they probably didn't deserve to make the playoffs the way they finished out. They'd just have been cannon fodder for someone in the first round anyway.

*sigh* :(

Blech, the Rangers had a chance to make the season finale against the Devils worth home ice and they blow it against the Islanders.

Flyers clinch! 56 pts last year and the worst team...to the playoffs this year. We didn't even have to follow the Pens route to tank for 3 years.

the rangers still have a very good shot at the 4/5 seed

Heh, you're right. I forgot the Rangers earned a point for reaching OT. Excellent. :cool:

Leafs can wrap up a playoff spot with six more wins.

Heatley is plotting his revenge by offering to take Bell out for a late night drive.

Get your facts straight....it was a good 5 years.

Great, so I'd want Canadian teams to make it. And I also like the Sharks. What do the 1st-round matchups look like? Canadiens-Senators on one side, and Sharks-Flames on the other.

Glad the Stars lost last night, giving Anaheim the 4th spot and home ice. It officially turns the Ducks' final two games into exhibitions, which is the sort of thing we need with the injuries (and a suspension) we're trying to come back from. Carter should be back this weekend, Getzlaf and Giguere are already back but just, and Pronger returns from his stupid ass suspension (note, he is stupid for the suspension) on Sunday. Unfortunately, Perry probably still won't be back until maybe sometime in the first round.

The East matchups aren't set yet, but I don't think Montreal and Ottawa can play in round one after tonight.

Washington beats the Panthers to win the Southeast and knocks out Carolina. From seven points up with six to play to out of the playoffs. Unbelievable. Going to be an interesting (and long) offseason. Last night's loss will haunt this team until they make the playoffs again.

I love the Devils fans inability to sellout their arena for a playoff game. Just bought tickets for all four games at the Rock a.k.a. MSG 2. Go Rangers!!!

Awesome. I thought both conferences were pretty much set. After today though, it seems like none of my teams will play each other in round one? That makes me happy.

But now they can all lose! At least before you were guaranteed to have 2 teams in the second round. :D

Excellent blog post. The hypocrisy is off the charts in Ottawa but in a way I don't expect any less when a team's star goes down. How soon they forget when the shoe was on the other foot.

I just hope the incident is brought up when Roy Mlakar makes his customary appearance on Jim Rome so he too can make himself out to be an ass.

Meh. No home ice and no sweep.

Yes, you know how Jim Rome loves to ask the tough questions,

Pens will get a first round rematch with Ottawa. However, the series this year has a different feel. I hate to look ahead, but if Alfredsson misses the series, and Fisher and Kelly are out as well...I have to think Pittsburgh is the prohibitive favorite (first cliche of the playoffs!!).

True! Well now it looks like the West matchup is Flames-Sharks, so I'll get one team through. And here's hoping to the Canadiens and Sens in their respective matchups!