I disagree Chuck. The Isles are the unknown product. They have shown all year that they do not have a losing streak in them. If they do lose tonight, my guess is that it won't be in regulation. They are very resilient and young with Tavares as their team leader. Those 4 games in hand are not necessarily an advantage. Those games = PRESSURE. Can these Rangers handle it. I hope so. My feeling is that they must improve their PP. I still think this Metro division is a toss up for all 4 teams. Truth be told, one game will not break or support( make ) these 2 teams.
Agree to disagree on that. If the Isles lose in regulation tonight they are not winning the division IMO. And I also think 3rd is certainly in play for them. But I do not think they will finish 1st if they lose tonight. From a pure standings POV there is no doubt this game is bigger for the Isles, just none. We win we can be 7 up with the TB when you factor in games in hand. They win and we can be 3 up with the TB when you factor in games in hand. Clear to me the game is much bigger for the Isles from a standings/1st place POV. I'm not saying the Isles will fall apart, I am saying even if they play solid hockey the %'s will catchup with them if they lose tonight.
And BTW the Isles certainly will be in a good spot to win the division if they win tonight and go 5 up. We will still have a reasonable shot though with 4 extra games left. If we win tonight I think the Isles have almost no shot to win the division.
I am not going to argue with anyone. We don't all have to agree, and I am okay with that. What makes the world go round.
No doubt, I said the other day the Rangers have 5 back to backs left starting tomorrow night. Isles are not winning the division now IMO. No way they finish ahead of us and the Pens. At least one team will finish ahead of them, and Isles may be 3rd...we'll see. It is looking more and more like we'll play the Caps round 1.
Another positive about the division: none of Philly, NJ and Columbus were bad enough to have a legitimate chance at the lottery. A couple of months ago it looked like there was a slight possibility one of them could sneak down to the basement. They've been good enough to miss a high pick, and bad enough to miss the playoffs. Right in that sweet spot of mediocrity where I like them.
Isles and Caps both beaten in regulation tonight. Both are done in terms of finishing ahead of us. We are now 1 up on the Isles with 4 games in hand and we own the ROW TB already...DONE. We could be 9 up on the Isles now if we win the games in hand. We are 9 up on the Caps with 3 games in hand and we own the ROW TB over them as well...DONE. We are going to finish 1st or 2nd in the Met. That is why I am not too concerned about Klein, assuming he is back for game 1 round 1. And Hank, just be back to play 5 or 6 games and shake the rust for the playoffs. Those two things happen and we are in great shape to win the East again.
And the Pens lose in regulation today. Meaning we could be 7 up if we win our games in hand AND we already own the ROW TB. Division wise we are in real good shape now. Take care of business tonight at Buffalo with Skap in net and we'll be in an even better position.
I now don't see anyway we finish worst than 2nd in the Met after the Isles L last night and our W. AND I'll say this now, if the Pens lose in regulation to the Wings today (they are down 4-0 in the 2nd period right now) we will be a VERY strong bet to win the Met if we beat the Panthers tonight. The math just becomes too much for the Pens to overcome, just like it is for the Isles already IMO, if they lose today and we win this evening. Looks like a pretty decent bet that the Isles and Pens will play in round 1, home ice TBD. Big Bruins/Caps game tonight in DC. The winner has the edge for the top WC. Odds are right now we'll play one of those teams, and honestly I now lean towards wanting to play the Caps over the Bruins.
Pens crushed today. If we win tonight I really think 1st in the Met would be very difficult for us to lose. With that said I think tonight will be a tough game. The Panthers have a lot to play for. It is a game we certainly can lose. I thought that for a while also sc, but if any team is going to pass us I believe it will be the Pens not the Isles. So we'd play the Isles not the Pens in round 1. And I rather play the Caps than the Isles I think. I may even rather play the Caps than the Pens right now, but it is close. The Caps are tough, but I also look at that team and say slow OV some and stay out of the box, and I just don't see how the Caps beat us in a 7 game series. OV would need like 7 or 8 goals and they would need like 5 or 6 PP goals in 7 games to beat. I am confident we wouldn't allow that to happen. The NHL playoffs are never easy. So whether we play the Bruins, Caps, Pens, or Isles it won't be easy. We need to play good hockey no matter which team we draw in round 1. BTW...Eddie O said at the end of the Wings-Pens game he thinks it's the Rangers and everyone else in the East right now. High praise.
