Eastern Conference Playoff Race

[kosydar 0]

Anyone ever think that maybe he was scratched because he just isn't good? Obviously him speaking out against the organization hurt him, but if he was playing decent hockey they might still have him in there.

[DamnLocust 0]

I think part of the reason that Avery has been so good is that he has been allowed to actually play hockey, and hasn't had to be as much of an instigator/agitator as he was back in LA. Skating on the second line, he actually has a "normal" role on the team. They're letting him use his skills. Sure he still mouths off and will push buttons here and there, but that's a secondary to his game here.

Then again, I didn't see much of him in LA, so maybe that was the case there as well.

[Cavs019 708]

Besides the obvious goal, him Shanny and Callahan looked great tonight. If anything, it gives the opposition a different look as we now have a 1-2 punch of euro flash with the Jags-Nylander combo and NA grit/skill on the second line. Not to mention Cullen has looked as advertised and much more comfortable playing as a checking center on the 3rd line.

[Vapor 0]

Updated Percentages of making the playoffs:

ThunderBolts:79.2

Blueshirts:68.6

Fishsticks:40.9

CoCANES:39.8

Maple LEAVES:39.8

Hab(nots):26.3

(how wity is the naming? eh)

http://hockeyrodent.com/

[Razr 2]

Carolina will get in, no doubt. and they will most likly upset someone in the first round. However, they will not win the cup, that's Buffalo's for the taking. There is NO STOPPING (of getting past) Miller in the Playoffs. sorry.

As for the Rangers, they are just like the Red Wings, First Round Chokers.

Last year they were awesome heading into the playoffs as were the devils and the devils SWEPT them. 4-0? wtf is wrong with New York, same a Detroit. Loaded team and no results come Playoff Time? sorry. I see the Rangers getting in and being destroyed by WHOEVER they play in Round 1.

West is pretty much all Locked down.

(1)Nashville

(8)Calgary

(2)Anaheim

(7)Dallas

(3)Vancouver

(6)Minnesota

(4)Detroit

(5)San Jose

Round 2:

(1)Nashville

(5)San Jose

(2)Anaheim

(3)Vancouver

Western Conference Finals

(2)Anaheim

(5)San Jose

[kosydar 0]

Why is everyone saying Miller is unstoppable? He didn't look that way last night, and it isn't like the Sabres have the most capable backup on the bench.

[Eazy_b97 1]

He's been unspectacular alot lately. Letting in a fair share of soft goals. Buffalo keeps their shot totals against fairly high though, so his save % isn't bad. He's a good goalie, but he isn't in the Brodeur or Luongo range. He's merely a top 10 goalie in the league.

[ktang 34]

Last year Jagr was injured for their first round (IIRC), and Lundqvist was tired from the Olympics. They slid into the playoffs. This year they are having to fight their way in, and they have a gritty 2nd line that can also score.

[Vapor 0]

the rangers were on fire into the playoffs?! Obviously you didnt watch much (or any) rangers hockey twords the end of the year. They lose something like 5 out of 6. They needed somethign like 4 out of 15 points, and didnt do it. How the hell are the rangs loaded? They have over 10 rookies/sophmores on the team. Calm down with that.

[saba 0]

I'm not sure I see Dallas being such a walkoever in the West. They are the NJ Devils of the West

[Razr 2]

Why is everyone saying Miller is unstoppable? He didn't look that way last night, and it isn't like the Sabres have the most capable backup on the bench.

In the playoffs, he is.

Last year Jagr was injured for their first round (IIRC), and Lundqvist was tired from the Olympics. They slid into the playoffs. This year they are having to fight their way in, and they have a gritty 2nd line that can also score.

really I'm pretty sure he played the first round, and INJURED himself swinging at a Devil.

The rangers were in 3rd last year going in until the devils won like 10 straight which Bumped them up to 3rd and move the rangers to 6th, other than that the Rangers were a Solid team all year..

I'm not sure I see Dallas being such a walkoever in the West. They are the NJ Devils of the West

Dallas of the past, not so much now... Turco is good, but not as good as Brodeur

[Cavs019 708]

The Devils didn't bump them out, they shot themselves in the foot. Even with the Devils winning all of those games they needed something like 6 points in that last stretch to clinch. Also, they had Boozolinsh on their blue line.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Why is everyone saying Miller is unstoppable? He didn't look that way last night, and it isn't like the Sabres have the most capable backup on the bench.

In the playoffs, he is.

He's played 1 NHL playoffs where he faced a terrible Philly team, an Ottawa team on the verge of a breakdown and then lost to Carolina. He played well, but he's not a proven playoff goalie by any stretch.

[chippa13 1844]

Carolina will get in, no doubt. and they will most likly upset someone in the first round. However, they will not win the cup, that's Buffalo's for the taking. There is NO STOPPING (of getting past) Miller in the Playoffs. sorry.

Wondering how this will happen since Carolina currently sits in 8th and Buffalo in 1st. If Carolina upsets someone in the first round it would have to be Buffalo.......but the Cup is Buffalo's for the taking?

[DarkStar50 679]

The playoffs are all about your goalie and talk about a team without a playoff goalie? Right now, that's Carolina. John Grahame is not getting it done folks.

[DamnLocust 0]

That's not so much of an issue since Cam Ward is back.

Then again, let's see if he gets back into his groove right away.

[DarkStar50 679]

Thanks for the update. I thought Ward was toast. Better Cam than Grahame!!

[Vapor 0]

1.25 .956 9-1-3 in his last 13... very impressive.

[Razr 2]

Why is everyone saying Miller is unstoppable? He didn't look that way last night, and it isn't like the Sabres have the most capable backup on the bench.

In the playoffs, he is.

He's played 1 NHL playoffs where he faced a terrible Philly team, an Ottawa team on the verge of a breakdown and then lost to Carolina. He played well, but he's not a proven playoff goalie by any stretch.

Terrible Philly team? this year they are terrible last year they were semi-strong in the playoffs. Ottawa was one of the higher favored teams in the playoffs last year with one of the HOTTEST Offenses out there, and he beat them and took it to 7 games with Carolina, I think Miller will be a solid goaltender from now on in playoff and reg. season form.

Carolina will get in, no doubt. and they will most likly upset someone in the first round. However, they will not win the cup, that's Buffalo's for the taking. There is NO STOPPING (of getting past) Miller in the Playoffs. sorry.

Wondering how this will happen since Carolina currently sits in 8th and Buffalo in 1st. If Carolina upsets someone in the first round it would have to be Buffalo.......but the Cup is Buffalo's for the taking?

Really because the playoffs are set RIGHT now. I forgot the season ended like 3 weeks ago right? There are 6 teams juggling 3 spots in the East Carolina could Easily end up in 3rd being that Atlanta is not too far ahead of them, it's unlikely but I'm gonna say that Carolina ends the season in 6th or 7th. and I don't see them playing Buffalo in the first round being that Buffalo is pretty much locked the top spot in the east.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Terrible Philly team? this year they are terrible last year they were semi-strong in the playoffs. Ottawa was one of the higher favored teams in the playoffs last year with one of the HOTTEST Offenses out there, and he beat them and took it to 7 games with Carolina, I think Miller will be a solid goaltender from now on in playoff and reg. season form.

They were built around Foppa and he was playing hurt. It's not a coincidence that the team flopped this season with a similar roster. Ottawa was one of the favoured teams, but they choked. He very well may have a good playoff, but he's far from a proven goalie and he is far from being solid on a nightly basis for Buffalo. He has been good, but he isn't along the lines of Brodeur or Luongo and he doesn't really have a proven playoff record.

[Chadd 916]

Terrible Philly team? this year they are terrible last year they were semi-strong in the playoffs. Ottawa was one of the higher favored teams in the playoffs last year with one of the HOTTEST Offenses out there, and he beat them and took it to 7 games with Carolina, I think Miller will be a solid goaltender from now on in playoff and reg. season form.

They were built around Foppa and he was playing hurt. It's not a coincidence that the team flopped this season with a similar roster. Ottawa was one of the favoured teams, but they choked. He very well may have a good playoff, but he's far from a proven goalie and he is far from being solid on a nightly basis for Buffalo. He has been good, but he isn't along the lines of Brodeur or Luongo and he doesn't really have a proven playoff record.

Considering the number of times that Buffalo has had to come back from being a couple goals down this season, I have to agree that Miller is not a proven stud goalie. They win because of their ability to score.

[DarkStar50 679]

The Hockey News had an expert panel of 7 former NHL goalies rate the top 30. The #2 goalie was also not a proven playoff stud goalie: Roberto Luongo. I'll throw the gas on the fire right now. The only playoff stud goalie right now is Brodeur with 3 Cup rings. There are some hot goalies right now as the season winds down(relax Vapor & Theo, I know who the Rangers goalie is) but once the playoffs start, the sticks are gripped a little tighter. OK, start blasting me, it won't be the first time.

[Vapor 0]

He can play poorly just as well as he can play great. I remember plenty of first and second round exits where plenty of rubber was passing Brodeur.

[Eazy_b97 1]

The Hockey News had an expert panel of 7 former NHL goalies rate the top 30. The #2 goalie was also not a proven playoff stud goalie: Roberto Luongo. I'll throw the gas on the fire right now. The only playoff stud goalie right now is Brodeur with 3 Cup rings. There are some hot goalies right now as the season winds down(relax Vapor & Theo, I know who the Rangers goalie is) but once the playoffs start, the sticks are gripped a little tighter. OK, start blasting me, it won't be the first time.

Luongo also stole Canada a medal in the WJC, has played a ton of World Championship games and was tossed in to play in the former Canada Cup (forget the new name) only to play great and win. He has a little history suggesting that he is an elite goaltender. Even then there are still people who question his ability to play in the playoffs despite playing under huge international pressure.

Hasek, Brodeur, Giggy, Kipper, Vokoun to some degreee, Nabokov, Turco all have a fair share of playoff experience. The East is mostly open for it though.

[kosydar 0]

Huge blow to the Isles, DiPietro is out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=201754&hubname=nhl