Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.
How else you define what's gone on on the fringes of the race, where teams like the Oilers, Maple Leafs, Panthers and Capitals, all well out of the race a month or so ago, are the NHL's best over that stretch?
Since the trade deadline
Florida: 8-1-2
Edmonton: 11-3-0
Toronto: 8-3-1
Washington: 9-4-0
Bubble team total: 36-11-3 (.750)
This one rates up there with crop circles in terms of the search for an explanation. How can four teams, previously inept, all turn it on at the same time and make unlikely runs?
The Oilers were the only one of the four in action last night, and - surprise, surprise - they pulled out a big 5-3 win at home against the Wild with some more big performances from the kids.
The odds are still long, however. Sportsclubstats.com gives Edmonton the best chance of making the playoffs at 22.2%, followed by Washington at 22%, Florida 10.6%, Toronto 4.5%.
Elsewhere on the ice:
Canadiens 7, Senators 5: Just when it seemed there was a little bit of stability in the Ottawa crease. Martin Gerber started this one, was yanked after three goals, and Ray Emery gave up four more in the second period. The Sens stormed back with four goals in the third period, but after dominating Montreal all season, this wasn't their night.
Avalanche 2, Flames 0: Colorado needed this one. With the Oilers breathing down their neck and coming off a four-game losing streak, the Avalanche gritted out a narrow win at home over Calgary, getting the game's only two goals from Jordan Leopold and Milan Hejduk. Jose Theodore picked up a shutout after getting yanked in Saturday's scorefest versus Edmonton.
Islanders 4, Penguins 1: Long Island's out of it, competing more for Steve Stamkos than a playoff spot, but they played spoiler here in holding Pittsburgh back from chasing top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are down a few good men, playing the likes of Bryan Berard and Richard Park 20 minutes in this one.
Off the ice:
UFA Day remains the same as Canada Day
Ovechkin wins first star of week
More details come out of the PA's Email-Gate
Cleary's back for Detroit tonight
Another slow Monday, what can I say. Enjoy the playoff races.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-25-2008 @ 11:12AM
J.P. said...
I'm not sure how "well out of the race" the Caps were a month or so ago - they were in first in the Southeast on February 7 and have been hovering within striking distance of both the division and eighth spot in the conference ever since.
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3-25-2008 @ 11:45AM
gocaps said...
well said jp, i was hoping someone would make that correction, since the caps were obviously just lumped into that group for the convenience of making a point rather than based on any kind of reality or fact. get it together mirtle. whether you like it or not, the caps are the s%#! and its going to be that way for a long time. Its not just ovechkin and company as you have alluded to many times. there are the makings of a phenomenal team here, one that will win the cup soon, and many times. jump on the bandwagon now, space is limited and going fast. youd better recognize.
oh yea, and ovechkin for mvp? thats a rhetorical question.
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3-25-2008 @ 12:13PM
Greg Wyshynski said...
oh yea, and ovechkin for mvp? thats a rhetorical question.
Only if the answer is "the Capitals make the playoffs."
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3-25-2008 @ 1:48PM
gocaps said...
so youre one of those poor misguided souls too huh Wyshynski?, sorry too hear it. get back to me when you pull your head out of your @$$
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3-25-2008 @ 2:29PM
Alex said...
Your name is "gocaps." You must be the objective source of Capitals news and analysis we've all been looking for.
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3-25-2008 @ 2:54PM
gocaps said...
never claimed i was an objective source smart guy. the fact that my name is gocaps means im a caps fan, which means ive watched more caps hockey than most(probably all but one fanhouse writer, may still even have you there j.p.), which means im an excellent source(and more informed on the topic than wyshynski or mirtle, apparantly)for capitals related information. to suggest that ovechkin doesnt deserve the mvp based potentially on a point or two difference in the standings is a demonstration of sheer ignorance with regards to both ovechkin's entire season and the meaning of the hart trophy.
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3-25-2008 @ 3:02PM
gocaps said...
and before you say, "well why dont you start your own caps blog smart guy", save it, cause i dont want to
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3-25-2008 @ 3:30PM
James said...
Quiet Alex, I want to hear if he thinks they'll make the playoffs.
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3-25-2008 @ 5:42PM
Greg Wyshynski said...
My head's out of my ass now.
And Ovechkin still shouldn't get the Hart if his team misses the postseason.
It's the easiest argument in hockey: Success vs. failure. If you miss the playoffs, your season is a failure. And I think rewarding a failure isn't in keeping with the spirit of these awards. Same goes for Boudreau -- sure, it's a hell of a coaching job. But if you miss the postseason, what's it worth? Who'll remember it?
I said it the other day, and I'll repeat it again: Ovechkin is the first person who'd tell you he'd trade in every stat, every award to play in the postseason spotlight. I suppose MVP is all about how you define value, both in a player and in a team.
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