from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,
Playing the spoiler isn’t a role that the Detroit Red Wings are embracing. Putting Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on the sidelines for the Stanley Cup playoffs, that’s a notion that all of Hockeytown can get behind.
The Penguins, who are at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, find themselves one point out of an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with three games to play. A loss to Detroit won’t eliminate the Penguins, but it would leave them teetering on the brink of extinction.
“We’re playing a really good Pittsburgh team fighting for their playoff lives, the superstar power they have, the difference-makers they have,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “I think there will be more at stake with the fact we beat them last week. I think we’ll get their best and it’ll force us to go to another level with our game.”
As for ending Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes, Lalonde doesn’t see that factor as a motivator for his team.
“Probably not the spoiler-type role,” he said. “I don’t know if the guys really concern themselves with that.”
continue for Detroit related talk...
The Hockey News recently has hired writers for some of the NHL teams.
Here is Nick Horwat on the Penguins,
The Penguins travel to Detroit in hopes to not only avoid a season sweep on the Red Wings, but take a win and hopefully move up the wild card standings.
Since no teams had a game yesterday, there was no movement in the standings, but slight adjustments to the odds.
According to moneypuck.com, the Penguins come out of their day off with a 43.7% chance of reaching the postseason.
A full percentage point higher than 24 hours previous, but they still sit far behind the New York Islanders (80%) and Florida Panthers (75.4%).
The Penguins have a lot riding on this game against the Red Wings in terms of percentages, and thats before calculating the outcomes of the Islanders or Panthers.
If the Penguins defeat the Red Wings, their playoff chances will increase by 15%, pushing them to a 58.7%.
Thats not a huge jump, but if its paired with a loss to either the Panthers or Islanders, it could even the playing field.
Every game played by the Penguins, Islanders, and Panthers have the chance of forcing huge swings in the standings.
a bit more
All 3 Eastern wild card contenders play today against non-playoff teams.
After today for the final 2 games:
FLA: Home TOR and Home CAR
NYI: @ WAS and Home MTL
PIT: Home CHI and @ CBJ ( a combined 44 games under .500 )
Floridas schedule appears tougher, however Toronto has secured the #2 seed in the Atlantic for home ice vs Tampa Bay, so their commitment may be towards starting the playoffs healthy.
Carolina on the last day of the season could still be fighting for the #1, #2, or #3 spot. The difference is huge, playing at home in the first round vs a wild card 90 point team, or being on the road vs a 110 point team.
not sure why after editing the spacing seems to change.
Oh now after reloading the page it seems normal.
That too will be corrected over the summer. Announcement coming soon.
That may just be the way Mac Safari looks at stuff.
It could be but I am experiencing the issue along with others.
GO WINGS GO!!!!! Hand the loss to Bettman's Buddies!
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