2008 playoff push: News and analysis
The playoffs are just around the corner, and we're getting ready. During the last week of the regular season (well, at least Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m.-noon ET), ESPN.com NHL writer Scott Burnside and NHL editor Joy Russo preview and review.
Burnside is also chatting Wednesday at noon ET. Send questions to him here.
Russo (12:01 p.m.): Until then. Go chat!
Burnside (noon): OK, maybe a Pabst Blue Ribbon. It was on sale. Until tomorrow.
Tonight's scenarios
A look at the playoff-clinching scenarios in tonight's games:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
--No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins can clinch the Atlantic Division:
If they beat Philadelphia or if New Jersey gets one or no points against Boston.
--No. 5 New York Rangers (idle) can clinch a playoff berth:
If Carolina gets no points against Tampa Bay.
--No. 7 Boston Bruins can clinch a playoff berth:
If they beat New Jersey and Carolina gets no points against Tampa Bay.
--No. 8 Philadelphia Flyers can clinch a playoff berth:
If they beat Pittsburgh and Carolina gets no points against Tampa Bay.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
--No. 1 Detroit Red Wings can clinch the Presidents' Trophy:
If they get at least one point against Chicago.
Russo (noon ET): I think we're in for another night o' fun. Guinness for me. Soda water (yawn) for you.
Burnside (11:59 a.m.): OK … I wasn't all that far off with my Caps pick last night.
Devils 2, Bruins 1 (OT)
Canes 4, Bolts 1
Flyers 5, Penguins 4 (SO)
Blackahawks 4, Red Wings 3 (OT)
What do you think?
Russo (11:57 a.m.): OK … time for predictions. I know you love these. For tonight's games, mine are:
Canes 3, Bolts 1
Devils 2, Bruins 0
Flyers 4, Pens 3 (OT)
Hawks 3, Wings 1
Burnside (11:55 a.m.): Ah yes, the Avs. They are a bit of a puzzler. I think it's going to be interesting to see if Peter Forsberg has enough gas in his tank to make a difference in the first round. If Jose Theodore can keep it together, I don't see why the Avs couldn't knock off Minnesota in the first round. Indeed, that would be a pretty good tilt. And who wouldn't like to see a return to the glory days with a Colorado/Detroit matchup? But, like the rest of the Northwest, I think they'll be cannon-fodder outside the division.
Russo (11:53 a.m.): I do need to ask you about one other team before you go chatting away with the masses … and that's Colorado. The Avs are another team I can't make out just yet.
Burnside (11:53 a.m.): Let's just say that if Emery thinks folks have been hard on him this season, wait until the Sens miss the postseason for the first time since 1996. He'd better get a big hat and start driving a Skoda.
Russo (11:52 a.m.): I'd rather watch "Family Guy" and "Seinfeld" reruns, thank you.
Burnside (11:50 a.m.): I could answer with "the doghouse," but that doesn't really cover the domicile Emery now inhabits with his teammates and Sens fans. But this team's problems go beyond a self-centered goalie. The team still lacks scoring depth -- a healthy Stillman will help -- and they seem to have lost their way in terms of cohesion. This is a team, after all, that cruised through the first three rounds a season ago with a 12-3 record. As for an offseason if they miss the playoffs? How does four months of hell sound?
Russo (11:46 a.m.): Um, where is Ray Emery in this scenario? Talk about a reversal of fortune. If they don't make the playoffs, that's one heck of an offseason watch in Ontario between Ottawa and Toronto.
Burnside (11:45 a.m.): It's kind of delicious, watching the Senators continue to unravel. It's a well-worn cliché, but appropriate -- Ottawa has become one continuous car wreck, and you can't stop watching. Last night against Montreal, the Sens pounded away with the man advantage but couldn't dent Carey Price. Cory Stillman is still missing, and it appears the Sens are holding their collective breaths every time Martin Gerber handles a shot. They close with Toronto and Boston. Think the Leafs would like to sink their cross-province rivals? Yes. And the season finale with Boston could indeed be for eighth place.
Russo (11:41 a.m.): Meanwhile, the Flyers are trying to hold it together, while the Senators are in a precarious spot. Don't mean to bring them up again, but … they've won just two in their past eight games, with two left on the docket.
Burnside (11:40 a.m.): Well, the Flyers represent a different beast altogether. They've been banged up, too, but possess a terrific cast up front led by Mike Richards and Daniel Briere, who is rounding into form at the perfect time for the Cup-starved Flyers. Vaclav Prospal looks like he's the long-awaited linemate for Briere. The question for the Flyers is whether Martin Biron, a career backup goalie, has the tools both physically and mentally to take a team on a playoff run. The Flyers will play either Pittsburgh or Montreal assuming a) they make the playoffs, and b) they finish in the seventh or eighth spot. Don't like their chances, but they've got more firepower than the Bruins.
Russo (11:38 a.m.): Would you say the same thing for the Flyers?
Burnside (11:36 a.m.): Sorry, Beantowners. The Bruins are going to be cooked either way. They'll play either Montreal or Pittsburgh, and even if Savard comes back (maybe, maybe not), they don't have enough offense to stay close to either team. But, after the past couple of season, the Bruins rank as one of the teams that will be happy just to be at the dance, no matter if they get their toes stepped on.
Russo (11:35 a.m.): But, if the Bruins hold on for the playoffs, can they last past the first round? They'd play, gulp, the Canadiens if the playoffs started today. (Holy Bobby Orr, Batman!)
Burnside (11:33 a.m.): That was New Jersey, of course, where the Devils exist in a parallel but completely different reality. Hard to imagine Julien won't get some consideration for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, but I don't think the Bruins are a sexy enough team for him to get his due.
Russo (11:32 a.m.): Gee, think that has something to do with Claude Julien, the coach that was deemed dumpable in the waning weeks of last season?
Burnside (11:31 a.m.): Yes, but for all of the complaining about the unbalanced schedule (not that we're going to go into all that), this adds to the drama, no? Pittsbugh is still fighting for the conference/division lead, while the Flyers and Bruins aren't secure at all. The Bruins are confounding to me. A team that historically has lacked heart is showing all kinds of it as they battle without Marc Savard, their leading scorer, and Chuck Kobasew.
Russo (11:29 a.m.): Well, Boston and Philly play tonight, and they have to face Jersey and Pittsburgh, respectively. Carolina is also in action … against Tampa Bay. Not exactly a competitive balance.
Burnside (11:26 a.m.): Yes, he has quietly invigorated that offense, given some depth and helped Alexander Semin. Brooks Laich has 21 goals. Viktor Kozlov, often considered a lazy player, leads the team in plus/minus. This is a nice mix that GM George McPhee has put together. And Cristobal Huet, while not unduly tested last night, has been a steadying influence. Now, it's not just Carolina that is feeling the heat. Boston and Philly both know the Canes and Caps are hot on their tails and finish up with Tampa, Florida and Atlanta, three non-playoff teams. How cool.
Russo (11:24 a.m.): It WAS a playoff game before the playoffs even started. Plus, as our good friend Damien Cox pointed out this morning, there are others performing wonders besides Mr. Ovechkin. I find the whole Sergei Fedorov factor intriguing. Now, I am not saying he's like he was 10 seasons ago, but look what happens when you put a decent player on a decent team with the freedom to skate.
Burnside (11:22 a.m.): And you're right, that Washington/Carolina game was a treat. But I think that had a lot to do with the urgency of the game and the crowd. Who'd a thunk it -- a buzz at the Verizon Center!?
Russo (11:21 a.m.): Of course, you then switch from Devils-Isles to Capitals-Hurricanes and it's like you went to hockey heaven.
Burnside (11:20 a.m.) No kidding. Can you imagine a Rangers-Devils series? Both teams play it pretty close to the vest, and with Henrik Lundqvist and Brodeur going toe-to-toe, well, let's just say I hope they sell pillows with the tickets in both rinks.
Russo (11:17 a.m.): Zzzzzzzzzzzzz … dump … trap … chase … shut down … I AM AWAKE NOW!
Burnside (11:16 a.m.): If you watched any of the Devils-Islanders game last night -- and if you did you no doubt had a good night's sleep -- you can see why the Devils look exactly like they have for most of a decade. Powerful defensive system, coupled with the man who will one day be regarded as the best goalie ever (and a much nicer man than Patrick Roy) in Martin Brodeur, and a bunch of faceless droids on the offensive side of things. (With all due respect to Brian Gionta, Zach Parise, et al). So, no, I don't think the Devils are long for the playoffs.
Russo (11:13 a.m.): So, Stevens is Yoda, and Phaneuf is Luke Skywalker. OK, I get it. Speaking of the Devils … like that segue? … can they make a long run? I still think scoring is an issue, despite Zach Parise and Brian Gionta.
Burnside (11:12 a.m.): I think the only hope Phaneuf has of being able to change the complexion of a series is if the Flames can jump into the No. 6 hole and play the Northwest Division champ. Anaheim or San Jose are too deep and, in the case of the Ducks, too physical to be prone to having their game upset by a rock-solid defender. And while Phaneuf is growing into a fine defenseman, he's not Scott Stevens -- not yet, at least.
Russo (11:08 a.m.): I love it when you toss in "Star Wars" references. Here's another one: "Great kid, don't get cocky." I think it fits the playoff theme. I won't let go of Phaneuf just yet -- you don't think he can change the scope of a game by laying out one of his monster hits in the neutral zone against Anaheim or San Jose? Or is it a one-guy-against-an-army kind of thing?
Burnside (11:08 a.m.): I think Phaneuf is a fine player, but is he ready to take over a playoff series, especially against the San Jose Sharks, the team the Flames would face if the playoffs started today? I don't think so. As for Keenan, 1994 was a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Russo (11:05 a.m.): So, the Dion Phaneuf and Mike Keenan factors don't resonate overall come playoff time?
Burnside (11:04 a.m.): The Flames aren't really any different now than they were a year ago. They are driven offensively by one player, Jarome Iginla, and defensively by one player, Miikka Kiprusoff. Just as they were under then-coach Jim Playfair last season, I think they lack the consistency to be considered a viable Cup threat. Still, you see what Kiprusoff did last night, and it gives you pause.
Russo (11:02 a.m.): What was your take on the Flames in that game last night? Miikka Kiprusoff seemed to be on his game, and then some, against the speedy Oil. This, after some up-and-down weeks.
Scott Burnside (11:01 a.m.): Poor Curtis and poor Oilers fans everywhere. A valiant effort by the Oil falls short in a gut-wrenching loss to Calgary with a late third-period marker. Pretty much to be expected, though. The Oilers dug themselves a pretty sizable hole and couldn't quite climb out. Guess those games in October and November do mean something after all.
Joy Russo (11 a.m. ET): The Capitals are still alive. The Senators (yes, those same Sens!) are struggling. And the Oilers are officially out of the running. I say we dedicate this second addition of the playoff push blog to Curtis Glencross!
