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AN 11 HORSE SPRINT
Tuesday night the race in the Western Conference resumes.
And right now just about everybody has a nag in the race. Eleven teams (from 5th to 15th) are separated by eleven points.
Only eight make it to the post season, the other seven will exhaustedly saunter over to retire in the paddock, and a couple of their coaches will join John Paddock in unemployment. (To my knowledge none will see a glue factory – which is good.)
So here, with apologies to Norm Hitzges, is my handicapping sheet:
TEAM |
PTS |
DETRACTORS |
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| #9 Minnesota |
49 |
Only Boston owns a better GAA…but the Bruins have scored 51 more goals. Gaborik would help this pop-gun offense. |
| #10 Columbus |
49 |
2-5-1 vs their Central Division has to improve, and so does their health. |
| #11 Dallas |
47 |
Goals Against and Special Teams have been abysmal at times. A 30th ranked road powerplay will not get you into the top 8…and neither will a steady diet of four goals against…and neither will games in hand – if you don’t win em’. |
| #12 Colorado |
47 |
A 27th ranked penalty kill and no Joe Sakic = a 4 ½ month summer. |
| #13 L.A. |
45 |
They have 24 road games left, only 12 at home…and they haven’t been very good on the road – or at home. |
| #14 Nashville |
43 |
111 goals scored is the fewest in the Western Conference and 2nd lowest in the entire NHL behind Ottawa – and, no surprise, their powerplay is ranked 29th. |
| #15 St. Louis |
42 |
One of two Western Conference teams allowing over 3 goals per game (the Stars are the other) and at the other end they rely too much on their powerplay for offense. |
If last year is a good indicator, only one of these seven teams will move into the top eight by season’s end.
The Nashville Predators sat in 10th at the All-Star break, just a single point back of 8th place Colorado. However it wasn’t the Avalanche they bumped, it was Vancouver – thanks to the Canucks spectacular late season collapse.
91 points got the Preds a date with the destiny driven Detroit Red Wings in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Our Stars can get 91 points – just win 22 of the final 37 games…and cross your fingers in hope that STL, NSH, LA, COL, CLB, and MIN fail – or PHO, EDM, VAN, and ANA stumble – or some combination of both.
Gentlemen, riders up. It’s post time!
Posted on January 26, 2009 05:34 PM Email Razor
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